Sho Business
by DrunkenWisdom
Summary: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him? What impact would this have on the lives of Kyoko, Sho, and Ren Tsuruga? AU, but it deviates from canon less than one might think.
1. The End of Procrastinating

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter One: The End of Procrastinating

The clock ticked very slowly indeed, compared to the rapid tapping of Fuwa Sho's pencil against his desk. His teeth clenched with impatience and his jaw muscles tensed, lending his face a masculine look that caused several of his female classmates to sigh.

As usual, only one girl in class was paying attention to the lesson. While all of the others were drawing hearts and umbrellas in their notebooks around different misspellings of Sho's name, all he could see was Mogami Kyoko's brown hair bobbing back and forth. Annoyed, he pictured her eyes shifting from the blackboard only occasionally, and then just to double check the accuracy of her notes. He knew that they would be neatly written and even more neatly copied for him after class. Kyoko took school very seriously, as if both her future and his hinged on whether she accidentally copied one wrong page number for one assignment. As if it mattered. Sho knew what his future hinged on, and it wasn't a classic haiku or a calculus exam. Today, he'd determined, was the end of procrastinating. He had made his decision and he would give her an opportunity to make hers, but no matter what she chose, their lives would take a different course starting right after this class ended.

Sho looked up at the clock again, his face darkening as his irritation grew. He glared at the little black hands that seemed to be deliberately taking their sweet time to reach twelve. Just like everything in this stupid resort town, they moved slowly and predictably – more slowly and predictably, it seemed, whenever he really wanted to do something. He slammed his pencil down hard and watched with satisfaction as the metal tube at the top broke and the fresh pink eraser went bouncing off the desk and rolled out of site. The teacher turned at the sound and even Kyoko tore her attention away from the blackboard to look over her shoulder and see what had happened. Sho raised his eyebrows innocently.

Just as the teacher opened his mouth to speak, the lunch bell rang and Sho snapped out of his desk. Forgetting his untouched books, he strode to the front of the room, grabbed Kyoko's wrist and headed out the door. Kyoko gave a small squeak of alarm, reaching out her free hand towards her notes and bag as Sho dragged her bodily from the classroom. Female glares followed the pair as they disappeared from sight.

Sho marched straight past the cafeteria entrance, towing a bewildered Kyoko all the way out to the school garden. He skidded to a stop under the branches of a gigantic willow tree and finally released his grip on her arm. She immediately slumped over, panting from exhaustion after running to keep pace with Sho's much longer stride. Her hands were clenched lightly at her knees and her hair swung forward to obscure her expression as she tried to catch her breath. When she finally looked up, her face was pink and shining from the exercise.

"I need to talk to you," Sho announced, shortly. He was irritated by the slight feeling of guilt that he'd felt when he realized she'd been struggling.

"Of course, Sho-chan, you know you can talk to me about anything." Kyoko smiled, looking straight into his eyes with complete love and acceptance, as always. It had been ten years since Kyoko's mother first left her at the Fuwa Inn, but Sho couldn't see many differences between the girl standing before him and the five year old he'd met that day. She still followed him with absolute faith in whatever he did, still went along with all of his whims without question or complaint. Still annoyed him more than anyone else in the whole world.

He turned away from her, watching the willow branches as they moved in the wind, like horses struggling to outrun a carriage they were tethered to. It seemed like a gust strong enough would sever their bond to the tree and they'd be blown out into the world. Finally able to run free.

"It's horrible, I can't put up with this any longer."

Kyoko stood up straight, immediately comprehending Sho's train of thought. "I heard the argument last night," she admitted. It would have been difficult not to hear at least one of the many arguments that had been taking place at the Fuwa Inn on a daily basis recently. It was always about the same thing.

"They have my whole life planned out for me," Sho muttered darkly, leaning back against the tree. "I'm supposed to live my father's life all over again. Just because it makes him happy, it's supposed to be enough for me to follow in his footsteps. Take over the inns, marry some proper local girl, have a kid or two and die without anyone outside Kyoto even knowing that I'd ever lived. " He could feel the anger building and suddenly kicked the center of the tree trunk, staggering backwards a little with the impact. "You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted over his shoulder, barely even registering Kyoko's widening eyes. "I want to live a more exciting life!"

Kyoko was silent, twisting her hands in front of her and biting her lower lip. Sho, absorbed in his own frustration, missed the subtle signs of conflict in the girl behind him. She was, after all, a part of the life he was so desperate to throw away. She had always supported his dreams, always taken his side. Up to this point, she had used every ounce of strength she had to help Sho achieve whatever he set out to do. Now was the first true test of her loyalty and her love; for to support Sho now could very well mean helping him leave her behind. His next words went far towards resolving her dilemma.

"If I stay in that house any longer than necessary, my parents are definitely going to hook me up with some plain, boring local girl! The other day, I heard them making a list of girls to set me up with!" He turned suddenly and faced Kyoko's horrified eyes with the most serious expression he'd ever shown her.

"I'm going to Tokyo right after graduation. The longer I wait, the worse my chances will be of ever making it in the music industry. Youth is everything in show business and if you start too late, it's over before it even begins." He could see her eyes glazing over and this time he was fully aware of the turmoil within her. He knew that Kyoko was on the top of the lists of women his parents would be happy to see him settle down with. She would be the perfect innkeeper and probably a model wife and mother. Somewhere along the line, she had become inextricably linked with his bleak image of the life his parents wanted him to lead. He knew that, but for some reason he didn't understand, he also knew what he was going to do. What he had to do.

"Kyoko..." He refused to allow himself to break eye contact. "Would you.... come with me?"

Her mouth fell open and for a second she just stared at him in shock. Then she smiled, in a way that no one else could ever smile. Sho's throat tightened and he felt an almost irresistible urge to run away. He didn't know why he was unable to leave her behind. "This girl," he thought vaguely "is the most annoying girl alive."

"Yes!" she answered, her eyes glowing. Sho felt some of the tension leave his shoulders and he slumped against the willow again, turning his face away from her. He stared fixedly at the still-swaying leaves to distract himself from the confusion he always felt when she acted this way. This was why he wasn't nice to her. Whenever he was, it always ended up like this.

Out of nowhere, Kyoko gasped. "I mean no! I'm so sorry, Sho, but I can't!" Sho swung around quickly and lost his balance, ending up sprawled on the grass. He looked up at her suddenly tearful face, stunned.


	2. Compromising Positions

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Two: Compromising Positions

Sho lay frozen in place, fixated on the tearful eyes of the girl before him. He couldn't even feel the dampness of the grass seeping into his clothes. He couldn't feel anything at all. Countless times, he had seen this expression. When she was like this, he could see her heart shattering, the fragments falling away like the tears that trailed down her cheeks. Always, when this happened, he was trapped by the sense that he couldn't do anything for her. He had no power to stop her from falling apart, because he had never been broken the way she was, over and over, and always by the same person.

"Your mother..." he finally said, in a strangled voice. Kyoko's legs buckled and she sunk to the ground across from him, covering her eyes with the palms of her hands.

"I'm so sorry, Sho-chan," she choked again, sobbing out the words. She removed her hands from her eyes and placed them in the wet grass before her. Slowly, her forehead bowed until it was also touching the ground. Her shaking shoulders ruined the image of a perfect dogeza. "I didn't think before I answered. I didn't mean to make a promise I can't keep."

Sho was confused. She only ever cried that way when her mother hurt her. Why was she doing it now? What did her mother have to do with anything? Now that he could no longer see her painful eyes, he was slowly regaining his senses. He sat up straight, suddenly realizing that he'd been laying on the ground like an idiot. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one had seen him. There was no one around and the leaves of the willow tree hung like a curtain around them, so it was unlikely. Still, this wasn't the last impression he wanted to leave on all of his classmates before he left to become a rock star. He had worked hard for years to become the idol of the school. It would be too much to lose his cool reputation right at the very end.

"...hate me." Sho looked down at Kyoko, realizing that she'd started speaking again.

"What?" he asked, distracted.

"I... I said, I understand if you hate me," she repeated, maintaining her prostrate bow. Even her fingers were trembling now, and an aura of despair clung to the air around her. She looked like she was waiting for the blade of a guillotine to come crashing down towards her neck.

Sho felt the familiar annoyance creep back. This boring girl had made him freeze like a fool in public place, where anyone could have seen him. He couldn't stand how weak she made him whenever she did unnecessary things, like cry in a way that terrified him like no other sight on earth. If it wasn't about her mother, why was she falling apart like that in the first place?

"Why?" He wondered aloud.

Kyoko's head snapped up, and Sho instantly regretted asking. Her expression still hadn't changed. He could feel his muscles starting to lock again.

"I really want to go with you, Sho," she began, misunderstanding his question. "That's why I said yes right away. But I can't. I just can't. My mother... what would my mother say?"

The words seeped into Sho's brain and he slowly realized what she was talking about. Her mother... of course it was about her mother. Kyoko was always thinking about how her mother would react to whatever she did. Even at times like now, when weeks had passed without even a phone call from the woman, she was always at the front of Kyoko's mind. Nothing Kyoko did was ever good enough. She got better grades than anyone, worked hard at the inn and whatever other boring thing she was focused on. It was always to try to get her mother's approval. But nothing she ever did was good enough. Sho clenched his fists in frustration. Didn't Kyoko realize by now that nothing she did was ever going to be good enough? He didn't know why, but that woman was determined not to love her daughter. It didn't matter how many good report cards Kyoko brought home. It was never going to change.

"Even though I would only be going along to support you, my mother would misunderstand. I know she would," Kyoko continued, looking even sadder with every word. "If I disgraced her like that, she...." Kyoko's voice trailed off and the tears came back with a vengeance.

Sho spiraled out of control again, completely petrified by her emotion. The familiar mantra echoed through his head "Nothing I can do... there's nothing I can do." The thought pounded in his ears, louder and louder until he couldn't take it any more. He didn't even realize it when he spoke.

"What if we got married?"

The words hung between them, and now they were both frozen in shock.

"Wh-what?" Kyoko stuttered. The sadness in her eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by a look of blank incomprehension.

Sho didn't answer, still processing what he had just said. "Where did that come from?" he wondered. He was scared that his mouth was able to say things that shocked even himself. He focused on Kyoko, hoping to find an answer there, as he couldn't find one anywhere else. Slowly, her shock was fading, and in its place a warm glow was building in her eyes. The contrast between her extreme sadness and the bliss that was beginning to take over left him powerless in an entirely new way. How could one ordinary girl have two looks that could completely take him over like this?

"Do... do you mean it, Sho?" she breathed, as if she didn't dare to believe it. He struggled to reply.

"Well," he began awkwardly. "If we were legally married then your mother couldn't call it a disgrace, could she?" Kyoko nodded happily, descending into a dreamy look. He had never seen her so happy in his entire life.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. What had he said? This... was not what he had planned.


	3. You Lose

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Three: You Lose

Sho sat on the foot of his bed, staring at the flashing "You Lose" on his television screen. A Playstation2 controller dangled forgotten from his left hand. With painful slowness, he churned through the memory of his conversation with Kyoko yet again. He was 95% sure that he had just done the stupidest thing of his entire life.

'She cheated, though,' he tried to assure himself. 'If she hadn't cried....' He clenched his fist around the controller and hit the start button. The Mortal Kombat music drove into him as he did his best to destroy Kitana. To his frustration, she once again threw him to the ground, blasted him with an unbreakable combo, then laughingly removed his heart from his chest. Yet another Fatality. He threw the controller straight into the wall, too furious to notice the hard plastic crack that meant he'd have to buy another one before playing any more video games. He stretched his bare foot out and kicked the power button on the TV before collapsing backwards onto the bed.

"Shotaro, what was that sound?" he heard his mother call.

"Nothing!" he shouted.

"Are you alright, baby?"

"I said it's nothing!" His mother probably recognized his tone of voice, because she didn't ask any more questions.

Sho tried to make his mind a blank, counting the eighteen tiles that made up his ceiling over again. It was no use. What happened today would not go away just because he avoided it. Even if it made his brain bleed, he would have to reflect on what he'd done and what he was going to do next.

Married. The word somehow seemed a hundred feet tall in his mind.

What were his options? He kneaded the palms of his hands into his temples, thinking hard. Could they even get married? They were only sixteen. Nobody should be getting married at sixteen. But was it even possible? He perked up at the thought. He hopped up lightly and booted his computer, happily envisioning the oh-so-disappointing conversation where he explained to Kyoko that they couldn't get married because they were too young and the law of the land forbade it. In no time at all he had his web browser open to Google and he'd typed in the inquiry: Japanese marriage age.

"A person under 20 years of age cannot get married," Sho grinned and spun around in his desk chair, pumping his fists in triumph. When the spin lost momentum and he faced the computer again, his face froze. "... without parental consent."

He slumped over the desk again, resting his elbow on the mouse pad and cupping his face in his hand. His parents would probably consent. That was their number one dream, after all, that he would settle down with Kyoko and carry on the Fuwa family tradition of living a boring life. His eyes fell on his guitar, which leaned against his pillows at the head of his bed. They didn't want him to have his dreams. If they knew he was planning on moving to Tokyo, they'd probably lock him in the wine cellar until he was twenty. For the first time, he wondered what they would do when they found him gone. He knew he was the center of his mother's existence, a fact that had pleased him for most of his life. Now, however, that absorbing, all-consuming love could smother his chance to achieve his dreams. Would his mother really just accept the fact that her precious only child had disappeared without a trace? Not very likely.

He bit the inside of his cheek and leaned back in the chair, rotating slowly back and forth as he pondered his options. If he married Kyoko and stayed in Kyoto, he'd be bored for the rest of his life. He couldn't run away with Kyoko without marrying her because she wouldn't agree. If he married Kyoko, he'd live a boring life. They couldn't go to Tokyo and have an interesting life if he didn't marry her. It didn't make any sense. Either way he looked at it, he had to marry Kyoko.

At no point did it occur to him that he had the option of running away to Tokyo without Kyoko. From the very first time he'd conceived of the plan, she had been in the backdrop of his imagined scenes of glory and success, clapping her hands and doing the dishes. She was so innately tied in with the scheme that he couldn't separate her from the idea, not even on a subconscious level.

So, what would happen if he married Kyoko? His parents would be thrilled, that much was certain. Probably delirious with happiness. His forehead knit at the word "delirious." They would be so thrilled, they'd probably give him anything he wanted. Slowly, his eyes began to shine. They might even be willing to make a deal. A plan unfolded in his mind that could potentially make things much easier for him in Tokyo.

"Mom!" He yelled, standing up straight and pushing the computer chair out his way. "Hey, Mom!"

He found her at the front desk, bowing to a guest who was checking out. As soon as the door shut behind the businessman and his luggage, she turned to her son with concern. "What is it, sweetie? Are you alright?"

Panting from having run across the resort, he leaned all of his weight onto the polished check in counter and looked up at his mother with his patented "sweet but troubled" expression. Instantly all of her motherly instincts went into overdrive and she placed her cool hand against his sweaty forehead, brushing the damp strands of hair away from his eyes.

"Darling, tell me what's wrong," she cooed.

He widened his eyes and tried to muster some tears. "Oh, Mom, you just have to help me."

Mrs. Fuwa's heart ached at the tone of his voice and she could feel herself gearing up for combat. Whatever or whoever was hurting her child would be eliminated.

"My baby..." she began.

Sho turned theatrically away, sighing deeply as he took a step or two away from her. "You have to promise you won't hate me, Mom. Please promise."

Mrs. Fuwa nodded, reaching a hand out towards her precious son. "I could never ever hate you, Shotaro," she choked.

He swung around. "Then you have to help me, Mom. You have to give me permission to marry Kyoko."

Author's note: I'm taking artistic license with the male Japanese age of marriageability– the female age is sixteen with parental permission but the male age is eighteen. I'm taking a lot of license with this story. It's fun. I did spend three hours looking for a loophole, though.


	4. The Dreams of the Fuwas, Part One

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Four: The Dreams of the Fuwas, Part One

Sadako Fuwa was many things. She was a wife. She was a sister. She was a keen businesswoman and a memorable hostess. But above all of these things, she was a mother.

The Fuwas were told they would never have a child.

For many years, she had nightmares of the conversations with doctors. Once again, she would be cold and naked under a thin paper gown, her feet feeling numb as they pressed against the freezing metal bar used to step down from the examination table. A faceless doctor in a white coat, or a green coat, or a coat with a mocking print of teddy bears or diaper pins would be hunched forward on a low stool, patiently explaining for the hundredth time that the odds were too slim – they would have to look into adoption. In vitro would be too expensive for such a poor chance.

There was an aching hole in her heart screaming out for a child – her own child, no other would do – so despite the welcoming smile she always maintained for her guests, there was never a moment of pure joy in her life. The shadow was always there, a kind of darkness that leaves a permanent effect on a person's psyche. She even considered having an affair, if it would help her to conceive.

Then came Shotaro. She was thirty-five and not expecting it. She had just gotten to the point where wild hope was no longer her first reaction to vomiting. She actually fainted when the doctor told her why she was sick. It took the doctor and her husband half an hour to convince her that this time it was real. She was finally going to have a precious baby. She didn't move from her bed for seven and a half months, ate only organic and healthy foods, did every yoga pose and practiced every Lamaze technique known to man. Fuwa Shotaro was born in perfect health.

Every bit of misery and despair that had preceded his birth was now converted into love. The neighbors and guests all said that they'd never seen a child who was so doted upon by his mother. Her husband was proud to have a son, of course, and happy to see his wife's dream come true. But nothing could come close to the single-minded, obsessive adoration that Sadako showered over Shotaro, each minute of each day.

And now her miracle baby was looking at her with pleading eyes. No sight on earth could shut down her thought process like that of her child in pain. Rational thinking was no longer important; her maternal instincts took complete possession of her mind. Whatever Shotaro wanted, he would get. Anyone who stood in his way would feel the might of her wrath.

"My darling, of course I'll help you," she cooed, stepping forward to wrap her arms around her now-taller son's frame. "If you want to marry Kyoko, then Mommy will help you."

Sho's face twisted into a triumphant smirk, which he managed to conceal before turning around and placing his hands gently on his mother's shoulders.

"Really, Mom?" he asked with tentative hope. "But... what if Dad says we're too young? Or what if Kyoko's mother objects?"

Sadako's eyes narrowed. She could feel every hair on her body stand erect, like a cat whose young has been threatened. "Don't worry, precious. Mommy will take care of it."

Sho smiled gleefully and hugged his mother close. "Thank you, Mom. I knew I could count on you. No one loves me like you do."

Sadako blushed and tears came to her eyes. She patted Sho's back softly, making modest demurs about his father loving him too.

He pulled away and headed back towards his bedroom, with a spring in his step._ Phase one: complete_, he thought.

Behind him, Sadako pushed up the flowing arms of her traditional kimono before turning in the opposite direction, towards the kitchen, where she would put her own plan into motion.

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"Is it a holiday?" Fuwa Kenta asked, scratching the back of his neck. The table was set with so many side dishes that there was barely enough room for their plates and chopsticks.

Sadako was at his side in a flash, looking beautiful in a pale blue yukata, ornate hairpins glinting in the soft lighting of candles and paper lanterns.

"Not a holiday, but a very special day, nonetheless," she said, melodiously. Kenta was puzzled, but pleased to see her in such a good mood. He sat down on one of the embroidered silk "special occasion" cushions that his wife had placed around the low table and then noticed that there were three places set. He raised an eyebrow wryly.

"Don't tell me our son is actually going to eat dinner at home for once? That is a rare occasion."

Sadako's charming smile froze for a second and her husband swallowed hard.

"He's a very popular and very busy child, you know. We should cherish every moment we spend with him as the precious gift that it is."

Kenta nodded quickly, loosening his tie. Sadako crossed over to the other side of the table and sat down gracefully, her back straight even while kneeling, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

A moment later, the door slid open and Sho sauntered in, plopping down at the third place setting and sniffing the air.

"Wow, Mom, this smells delicious!" he exclaimed with a huge grin, crossing his legs and leaning back so his weight rested on one arm.

Sadako beamed and Kenta eyed his son speculatively.

"My, everyone seems to be in great spirits today," he observed. "What's the occasion?"

Sho shifted his weight and looked towards his mother, tension visible in his shoulders. She smiled calmly back at him and placed some fish into her husband's bowl.

"Well, it's only natural to celebrate our son getting engaged," she said, matter-of-factly.

Kenta choked on his first mouthful of rice. Sho pounded him on the back while Sadako serenely handed him to glass of water she had already prepared. Eventually, the rice was dislodged and Kenta pressed his palm against his forehead.

Three thoughts crossed his mind: either this was a joke, Shotaro had gotten some girl pregnant, or one or both of his beloved family members was scheming.

The first was unlikely, as it was well known that he didn't take jokes well. The second was certainly possible. Shotaro was very reckless and tended to do what he liked without anticipating consequences. But somehow, knowing his wife and son, the third seemed like the probable choice. He realized that the exchanged glances and elaborate preparations could only mean one thing. Shotaro was scheming and his mother was scheming with him. He didn't stand a chance against their combined machinations. He sighed.

"Who is my future daughter-in-law?" he asked carefully, praying that it wasn't a prostitute or gold digger.

"Kyoko," Sadako said, brightly. Her eyes were triumphant when she saw the look of astonishment on her husband's face.

"_Mogami_ Kyoko?" Kenta asked, to verify. He was completely bewildered. Of all the things he'd expected, to hear that his son had made a sensible choice? Was Shotaro actually going to marry a well-mannered, modest and intelligent girl? Without being dragged to the altar? He looked carefully down at the glass of water his wife had given him, leaning over and smelling it to make sure it hadn't been sake after all. His deepest desire was to see his wild son stabilized by a happy marriage so that he could live a peaceful and productive life. It couldn't be this easy, could it?

"What other Kyoko would I marry?" Sho asked, sounding bored. The tension in his shoulders hasn't eased, however, and he watched his parents closely from under his blond bangs.

"Well, that's.... a good choice, son. I approve." Kenta replied, slowly. He couldn't help waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Where is Kyoko? Didn't Saena say she would be gone for a few more weeks?"

"She stayed after to work on club activities," Sho said off-handedly. He didn't know why she bothered helping organize the end of the year festival. None of the other committee members could stand her and he was sure they'd make her do most of the work.

"I see," Kenta scratched the side of his face. "Well, she's a good girl. As soon as you two finish school, we'll hold the wedding and start increasing your responsibilities at the inn. I'm happy to have things settled."

Sadako smiled happily, and reached out to cover her husband's hand with her own. "Why wait until after they finish? Kyoko practically lives with us anyway. I'm sure Saena won't object. We should have them marry as soon as possible. They're both sixteen."

Kenta's eyes narrowed and he looked directly at his son. "Shotaro, is there a reason the wedding would have to be as soon as possible?" So there was a fourth option – Shotaro had gotten a girl pregnant _and_ he and his mother were scheming against him.

Sho shot to his feet, indignant. "Dad!" he shouted. "You think I'd do something to _Kyoko_?"

Kenta took his reaction as too rude to be faked. But that left him puzzled. If his son didn't have to get married, and he obviously wasn't falling all over himself with lust to get Kyoko into bed, then why on earth was he in such a rush to tie the knot?

"Well, I assume you must want to on some level if you intend to marry the girl," Kenta explained, reasonably. Shotaro's eyes widened.

He sank back down to his place at the table, shocked. He hadn't thought about that at all. If he married Kyoko, then everyone would think that they.... Images flashed briefly across his mind, but he shoved them back to the pits of his subconscious. It's not like they were really getting married. Just on paper, so he could achieve his dreams of rock stardom. It didn't matter what people thought they did. He would never look at Kyoko like... like that. He gulped as a stray image popped up again. The tension that had been building the whole day clenched his muscles tighter and tighter until he thought he might implode from the stress.

"Shotaro," his father pressed, sternly. "If you expect me to agree to this, I need to know the reason."

Sadako looked back and forth between her husband and son. She was torn between the primal urge to jump to her baby's defense and the sudden curiosity to know his reasons herself. Before her husband had mentioned it, she hadn't stopped to wonder.

"Shotaro, why?" Kenta insisted again.

"Because she won't go with me if I don't!" Sho blurted, still focused on not focusing on the horrible thoughts that were polluting his mind.

There was a moment of silence broken by a soft "Crap!" as Sho realized what he'd just said.

Criminal mastermind, he was not.

Author's note: Don't worry: three more chapters and they're in Tokyo. I can't stand writing the groundwork for stories. It's so tedious. But I can't bring myself to just do the "poof - they're here now!" thing. The story is a reach to begin with; I have to make the background make sense for myself or I won't be able to do anything with it. Thanks for bearing with me.

On the bright side, it's been fun thinking about Sho's parents and who they are and how their family chemistry works.


	5. The Dreams of the Fuwas, Part Two

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Five: The Dreams of the Fuwas Part II

Kenta was the first to speak. "Don't use that kind of language around your mother."

Sho nodded mechanically, sinking back to his place at the table, once again shocked at his inability to keep his mouth shut. He was generally quite good at maintaining the appearance he intended in any situation. Somehow, even though she wasn't there, Kyoko had once again caused him to lose his cool. He wouldn't stand a chance in the music industry with her around. He must be crazy for working so hard to arrange for her to come with him.

"Go with you?" Sadako asked, confused. "You mean she won't be your girlfriend if you don't marry her?"

Sho stared blankly at his mother, processing her misunderstanding. Slowly he realized that this was a pivotal moment. If he played his cards right now, then he could still have everything exactly the way he wanted it. But if he made one mistake, his parents would deny him everything and keep him in Kyoto until he was too old to break into show business.

Closing his eyes, Sho pictured a giant roulette wheel; on each slot was written a possible answer to his mother's question. Which would be the winner? A lie? The truth? He opened his eyes.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything," he sighed, slumping his shoulders and looking up to meet his mother's gaze. He could hear his father clear his throat, but that didn't matter. As long as he convinced his mother, his father wouldn't stand a chance.

"I love Kyoko," he said, in a strangled voice. Undoubtedly his mother would believe that the hoarseness was due to emotion and not his utter revulsion at the sappiness of his words. "We've always been together - since we were kids. She's such a part of my life that I can't imagine a day without her."

Sadako's eyes misted over and Kenta crossed his arms across his chest, listening.

Sho sighed dramatically and slumped at his seat, resting an elbow on the table and leaning his forehead into his hand, his eyes no longer visible. He looked like he was overcome with a painful emotion, but really he was trying to keep as much of his face covered as possible so that his parents would have less of a chance to see through him.

"We all know that things aren't quite right with the Mogami family. Kyoko wears herself out every day trying to make her mother see her; she has since she was a little kid. But nothing she does seems to make Auntie proud of her."

He peeked through the space between his fingers and noticed his parents exchanging a look. They knew that much was true.

"She told me today that she plans to run away to Tokyo."

Sadako gasped, truly shocked that the quiet, obedient Kyoko would ever contemplate such a thing. "But why? It's so dangerous! A little girl like Kyoko all by herself in such a huge city! Why on earth would she even consider it?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sho sat up and gestured at the air around him, as if the answer were written in giant kanji above his head. "She wants to do something that will make her mother notice her. She told me that she want to become a- an actress!" He finished after a slight pause, pulling an artistic profession out of the air. Music would be too obvious. His parents knew perfectly well that is was his dream to be a rock star, not hers. But acting was kind of similar. It was also a believable motivation for a sixteen year old runaway to set her sights on Tokyo.

It was still too much for Kenta. "You mean to tell me that Mogami Kyoko wants to run away to Tokyo to become an actress," he asked, flatly. He fixed his eyes on Sho's face, daring him to continue the lie.

"I was shocked, too," Sho said earnestly, turning from his father to his mother. "I asked her not to go. I couldn't stand the thought of her leaving me and going to such a dangerous place all alone. Who... who knows what could happen to her." He gulped as another stray image of Kyoko as he refused to think of her popped up in his mind. He shook himself and got back on track. "But she's convinced that the only way to earn her mother's respect is to become successful on her own. Nothing any of us can do will stop her. We don't even have a right to." He looked balefully at his mother, who nodded sadly.

"We should call Saena..." she began.

"The sooner the better," Kenta said, firmly, placing his palms on the table and preparing to push himself up to his feet.

"Wait!" Sho leaned over and placed both hands on his father's shoulders, preventing him from rising. "Auntie is in New York, isn't she? It'll take way too long for her to get here.... if she's willing to come. I don't know if she'd interrupt her business, even for this. Remember the time Kyoko fell off that log and hit her head? She was unconscious for two days but Auntie never came back to Japan to see her."

Kenta settled back in place, the line between his eyes deepening with frustration. He had never understood Mogami Saena. She had a lovely, obedient, brilliant child, but she never spent any time with her. He didn't like to interfere with how others ran their families, but the way Saena acted had always seemed unnatural to him and to Sadako. Even when she was in Japan, she ignored Kyoko or snapped at her. He'd never seen one tender moment between the mother and daughter.

He looked over at Sadako and saw that she was flushed with anger. No one cherished motherhood as much as his wife. The way her childhood friend treated her only child was unforgivable in her eyes. Both he and his wife did all they could to help Kyoko, but there's only so much you can do when you have no legal right to interfere.

"So, since there was no way to stop her from going... I told her I'll go with her. To protect her." Sho finished carefully, after he felt he'd left enough time for his parents to reflect on his last words.

There was a loud clang as Sadako involuntarily jerked, unsettling the plates on the low table. Kenta reached out to steady the pitcher of water – thankfully his glass had been emptied after he choked on the rice. When it was firmly in place, he leaned over to put a bracing hand on his wife's arm. Sadako was white as a geisha. Her lipstick and eye makeup stood out starkly against her pale skin and he was afraid she would faint.

"No," she whispered.

"Mom - " Sho began.

"No!" she shouted, rising up from her seat and towering over her husband and son. "It's too dangerous, Sho. You're just a baby. The answer is no!"

"I am not a baby! When are you going to get that through your head!" Sho snapped, jumping to his feet to face his mother. All of his frustration bubbled to the surface and he no longer cared about subterfuge and tact.

"You always do this, you always treat me like I'm three years old. I'm not a toddler, I'm sixteen years old. Old enough to be married, old enough to quit school and get a job if I want to. There are people my age who have families, you know!"

Sadako gasped at her son's tone. He'd never been this angry with her before. He'd yelled at her, yes, and he whined almost constantly, but this was the first time she could feel his anger burning through her. The person standing across from her, panting and red faced and flaming with fury was like a stranger.

Kenta looked from one to the other and sighed. This had been a long time coming. In a way, he was glad to see his son asserting himself. A boy couldn't stay tied to his mother's apron strings forever. But he knew that no matter what else happened, tonight was going to hurt his wife very deeply.

"This isn't about Kyoko, is it, son?"

Sho turned to look at his father and his anger ebbed a little. "No, it's not," he agreed.

"You're the one who wants to move to Tokyo, Sho. You've made that clear many times. Why did you make up such a lie? Why bring Kyoko into it?"

"Because.... because she won't go with me if I don't marry her. I asked her and she said she can't disgrace her mother by living with a man. She was afraid it would be misunderstood. So I said we should get married. I needed to think of a way to get your consent."

Kenta looked his son over speculatively. So he really wanted to move to Tokyo that much. Enough to stand up to his mother in a way he never had before. Kenta had always believed that Sho's fascination with becoming a rock star was just a childish dream. He must have underestimated his son if he was willing to go this far just to have a chance at a music career. Like his wife, he looked into his son's eyes tonight and saw something he never had before – determination.

"Okay," Kenta began, finally. Sho blinked, but Sadako reacted instantly.

"Okay? What do you mean 'okay?' He's sixteen years old, Kenta!"

Sho watched in a daze as his father rose slowly from the table and walked around to place a hand on each of his wife's shoulders.

"We have one son, Sadako." He said, looking her directly in the eye. "And only one. If we smother him, he will hate us and eventually he will become old enough to move away whether we give him permission or not. If that happens, we will lose him. Really lose him."

Sadako shook her head in denial, tears finally running down her cheeks. "No no no..." she repeated softly.

Kenta took her chin in his hand and said firmly: "Yes."

Sadako sunk slowly to the ground, her fingers clenched into fists. She pictured a world where she could never hear her son's voice. Never see him again.

"I don't want that." She sighed, when she finally spoke.

"Then we'll have to find a way to compromise so that our family can stay intact." He turned to his son, who was still frozen with astonishment that his father had actually won an argument against his mother – and on his behalf!

"Your mother is right – you are too young to be gallivanting around Tokyo on your own." He raised a hand when Sho opened his mouth to protest. "You don't need to repeat yourself, I can see that you are determined to do this. What I need from you is a responsible plan for how you intend to enter the music industry. If you want us to respect you as an adult, prove to me that you made this decision in an adult manner. What is your plan?"

Sho smiled, genuinely. He was proud to be able to answer the question. He had spent hours and hours researching different music labels, and the histories of how their top artists got their start. Slowly, intelligently, he explained all of the plan he'd worked out for renting an apartment, paying for it with the salaries from part time jobs he and Kyoko would work. For the first month or two it would be mostly work – work at a restaurant and work on his music, polishing his best songs and adding hooks or changes to make sure they reflected the current trends. After they were ready, he would make a demo tape and shop it around from agency to agency, meanwhile playing some small gigs wherever he could get them to try to generate some buzz. If all went well, he would be signed to a label within a year.

Kenta listened patiently, pointing out certain possible flaws in the scheme and allowing Sho to explain what he would do if events took a turn in the wrong direction. By the time Sho was finished, it was dark out, the side dishes on the table were all cold, and Kenta was convinced that his son had put much more thought into his plan than he'd ever anticipated.

"Enough," he said, finally. "I have a compromise."

Sadako looked up from her place at the table, she had been slumped dejectedly on her cushion, letting her husband and son's conversation wash over her like water over stone.

Sho stopped the pacing he'd been doing as he spoke and turned expectantly towards his father. Whatever he said next would change everything. He felt like his blood was going to jump out of his body.

Kenta cleared his throat. "You said it should take one year for you to get a contract with a record label. I will give you one year." Sho let out a triumphant yell and started to rush forward, but Kenta held up his hand. "If within that time you do not succeed in becoming a contracted musician, then you and Kyoko will return home, resume your education and take over the inn."

Sho swallowed hard, then reached out his hand. His father took it and they shook on the deal. His mother stood up silently and left the room.

AN: Okay, that hurt my brain. I took a split chapter and almost four thousand words to figure out a way the Fuwas would consent to this marriage/plan to move to Tokyo. I hope it's somewhat plausible.


	6. Bubbles, Balloons and Bursting

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Six: Bubbles, Balloons and Bursting

POP!

Strips of iridescent latex went flying in all directions, one stinging into the cheek of Emi Tanaka, head of the end of year festival committee and president of the Sho Fuwa fan club. She let out a kittenish cry and slapped her palm against her face before turning around to see who had been the source of her pain. Her eyes landed on Kyoko Mogami, who was staring into space, her hand still in front of her mouth, holding the end of the silver balloon she had just filled to bursting.

Emi's eyes narrowed into slits and her hands clenched into fists, her acrylic finger nails digging into the soft flesh of her palms. What did Mogami think? Just because Sho had talked to her alone for a couple of minutes at lunch, she was the queen of the world and could do whatever she wanted? She scowled at the thought, then quickly schooled her features into a neutral expression, striding forward to snatch the balloon remnant out of the shorter girl's hand. She leaned over the desk Kyoko was sitting at and slapped both palms down on the wood in front of her. "Mogami, what are you doing!" she snapped.

Kyoko blinked rapidly and shook her head, as if waking up. "What? Tanaka-san? Did you need something?" she asked, automatically.

Emi paused, squeezed her eyes shut in irritation, then replied, in a tone of strained calm. "I need to not get hit in the face with flying objects. I need to not have to start from scratch and re-theme the entire festival because you don't know how to pay attention to what you're doing and wasted all the balloons!"

Heat rose to Kyoko's cheeks and she looked quickly around the classroom to see that all four of the other committee members were staring at her like she was a bug in a bento. Suddenly she took in the balloon remnant in Emi's hand and the still-vibrant red mark on her cheek and realized what had happened. Gasping, she jumped to her feet, pushing the chair back with a loud scrape and nearly toppling it over as she rushed to perform a dogeza in front of the girl she had injured.

"Oh, oh no! I'm so sorry, Tanaka-san! How could I be so careless?" She kept her head down as she battered herself with mental abuse. She was a horrible person. She had hurt someone just because she was paying more attention to her own concerns than the job she had volunteered to do. She couldn't do anything right.

A muscle twitched in Emi's forehead. She couldn't stand Mogami. She always pretended to be so nice and cheerful, but really she just cared about lording her relationship with Sho over everyone's head. Just because their mothers were childhood friends and she stayed with his family sometimes, she thought she was better than everyone else. She wasn't even his girlfriend, Sho made that clear all the time. One time in grade school, he had poured an entire bowl of negi ramen over her head just to prove that he didn't "like her" like her. She was just a girl he was obligated to spend time with, but the way she acted you could tell she thought she was perfect. Always doing exactly the proper thing at exactly the proper time in exactly the proper way. Her back was even perfectly straight when she prostrated herself in apology. Emi resisted the urge to kick her.

"Oh, get up," she sneered, crossing her arms and turning away so she didn't have to look at the disgusting display. "Who do you think you are, Harumi Kurihara?"

Kyoko bowed even deeper, apologizing profusely for apologizing. Emi threw her hands up in the air and turned to her fellow committee members. "What is her problem?"

Ai and Ami, a pair of plain, but fashionably dressed twins, strode instantly to stand on either side of her. They looked down on Kyoko, clucking their tongues and shaking their heads in unison. Hana, the last committee member and vice-president of the Sho Fuwa fan club, shook her head but didn't look up from the banner on which she was painting "Farewell, Fuwa!" in intricate hiragana.

Kyoko was lost in a miasma of self-reproach, mentally committing suicide for what she considered another of her many failures. No wonder her mother was so ashamed of her. She messed everything up. How could someone like her ever be good enough to marry Shotaro?

The thought was enough to turn her to stone. She froze in place, no longer bowing or apologizing, transfixed with the revelation. It hadn't occurred to her before when she was so lost in happiness and shock, but did she really deserve to marry Sho?

"... doesn't deserve to be in Sho's presence. It's so unfair!" Ai was finishing up a tirade, scowling down at the immobile Kyoko. Ami nodded vigorously at every other word.

Kyoko slowly looked up at the girls, who seemed so perfect in their uniforms, towering above her. Sho could marry any one of them, she realized. Why should he be tied down to a horrible loser like herself for the rest of his life? She didn't have any friends; her own mother didn't like her. What right did she have to be the wife of the most perfect man alive? He was going to be famous one day – one day soon. And she would be a constant embarrassment to him. She pictured Sho getting out of a limo at an awards show, looking like a god as the sun glinted off of his perfectly tousled blond hair, stepping onto the red carpet and extending his hand to reach for a leash to lead his awkward, uncouth, uncute wife down the walkway with him while paparazzi snapped pictures and fans shook their heads in pity and disgust.

"NO!" She shouted forcefully, jumping to her feet and running out of the classroom, leaving her bewildered classmates in her wake.

Emi blinked twice before turning to her friends. "I think she's really lost her mind this time."

Ami and Ai nodded, together.

"How many balloons did she blow? Maybe she asphyxiated," Hana mused, still not looking up from her work.

The rest of the girls shrugged and returned to their festival preparations. They decided use paper flowers instead of balloons to decorate the booths.

Author's note:

Just a really short chapter leading into the next conflict.

I actually had fun with the Fuwa Sho fan club members. I think I'll bring Emi, Ai, Ami and Hana back into the picture later on.

Harumi Kurihara is a famous Japanese chef/housewife guru, often called the Japanese Martha Stewart (without the corruption). She is considered by many to be an example of how women should behave.

Almost forgot! This chapter is for warflame001, who seems like a pretty nice person.


	7. Insecurity and the Moonlight

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Seven: Insecurity and the Moonlight

"I'm gonna be a rock star." Sho said in awe, as he leaned against the wall to the dining room, through which he could faintly hear the sounds of his father trying to get his mother to speak to him.

He nonchalantly shoved his hands into his pockets, tilted his head up and flashed a brilliant smile at an imaginary crowd of fan-girls.

"Of course, I'm going to be a rock star," he said in a cool tone, looking away as if it didn't matter to him in the slightest.

"I'm going to be a rock star!" Finally, he couldn't contain his excitement. He jumped up and pumped a fist in the air, chanting the words over and over again as he danced around, raising the roof and shaking his rear in such a manner that he would deny to his grave ever having done so.

Eventually, celebrating on his own wasn't good enough. He needed someone to tell him how amazing he was. He looked at his watch, it said 9:25. Kyoko should be home by now.

Annoyed that she hadn't anticipated his need for her to praise him, he stalked through the doors to the main entrance and plopped down onto the steps to wait for her, his arms crossed and foot tapping.

How long does it take to blow up some stupid balloons? he wondered, after twenty minutes had passed and there was still no sign of Kyoko.

A couple of guests hit him in the back with the door as they were leaving to go out, adding fuel to Sho's ire and convincing him that the front steps weren't the ideal place to wait. He stalked across the lawn to a tree that still had a wooden swing hanging from the branches. Swiping a couple of stray leaves viciously off the seat, he plopped down and started to rock back and forth, kicking off more forcefully with every swing.

His long legs bent up almost to his chest whenever he hit the ground, proving that he was probably too old for the low swing. His father had hung it personally for Sho and Kyoko to play with when he was little. He remembered when he could barely reach the grass with his feet – Kyoko couldn't even touch it when she tried.

They must've spent hours on this swing when they were little, Sho swinging and Kyoko pushing, growing equally excited the higher he went. She never seemed to get tired of pushing him, turning down his half-hearted offers to give her a turn. He honestly believed that she would have been happier if he reached the sky than if she did.

"I'm going to be a rock star," he said again, quietly, with absolute conviction. With Kyoko pushing him he really would be able to reach the sky – and beyond. Nothing could possibly happen to him in Tokyo that he couldn't handle, because he had never encountered a situation that he and Kyoko couldn't overcome if they worked on it together. She was like a limb to him – the part of his collective whole that made him better than other people, able to do anything. He didn't see her as a woman; he didn't see her as a friend. He saw her as a part of himself. And now that she was coming with him, he knew nothing could stand in the way of his success. He was going to be a rock star.

But where was she? He checked his watch again and it was almost eleven-thirty. A nagging feeling started to creep up in the back of his mind, and he told himself it was anger. She should be home by now; screw the stupid festival.

The cold feeling didn't go away, even though he tried to stoke the fires of fury to warm himself up. He thought of how she used to disappear whenever her mother rejected her with particular callousness.

For a while he hadn't known where she went, and he would look for her all over the resort, feeling strange - like worms were squirming around in his stomach. One day, he had determined not to stand helpless the next time it happened.

Her mother had been around a lot that summer and Kyoko was running off all the time. When her mother gave her a dressing down for not getting a perfect grade on a test, he closed his eyes so that he wouldn't see Kyoko's hurt face. Whenever he saw that he froze up and couldn't do anything but watch her run away. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and could just see her disappearing into the forest at the edge of their property. He headed after her quickly, but not too quickly, to see where she went.

She'd gone quite a ways, along a dirt path deep into the woods, only stopping when she reached a clearing by a little brook. He'd watched from behind the trees as she sat on a rock and cried in the way that always paralyzed him. Helplessly, he watched her weep, wondering what anyone could ever do for someone who cried like that. Unfortunately, he soon found out.

A boy, older and strange looking with blond hair, had appeared on the other side of the water. He watched Kyoko for a moment. then jumped across the water, doing an impossible flip in the air before landing in front of her. Kyoko had jolted at the sound, her tiny hands falling away from her face as she looked up. Sho stiffened when he saw her sorrowful expression instantly change to surprised delight as she looked up at the stranger.

"Corn!" she had shouted, without honorifics. She always called _him _Sho-chan or Shotaro-chan or occasionally Sho-sama when they were playing pretend.. She'd never called him by just his name. Who was this boy? How did Kyoko know him? And what kind of dumb name was Corn?

The Corn person had stayed for a while, telling Kyoko some nonsense about fairies and magic and other crap that Kyoko ate up with a spoon. Sho had watched until the queasy feeling in his stomach grew into a violent urge to vomit and he'd stalked back to the hotel, not caring if Kyoko and her stupid friend heard him.

It was the first time that Kyoko had ever had a secret and Sho had felt betrayed. He'd followed her a few other times after that, but luckily never saw the weird boy again. Still, there were times, much less frequent now, when she disappeared. The few times he looked for her, he always found her by the same brook, alone in the middle of the forest.

He never told her he knew because he didn't want her to think he cared or anything like that. But the memory had always bothered him, and he'd sometimes wondered who Corn was and whether Kyoko still thought of him. It always made him furious, because Kyoko was something that belonged to him, and it just felt wrong that there would be any part of her life that didn't include him.

Disturbed by the memory, he found himself walking towards the clearing, late as it was. Telling himself it was stupid, that she probably didn't even remember something that had happened so long ago, that she was probably still hanging decorations at school.

He argued with himself all the way to the clearing, where he found Kyoko sitting on a log, dried tears marking her face, holding a rock up to the moonlight.

"Oh, Corn" He heard her sigh, in a soft, sad, dreaming voice.

* * *

Kyoko sat on a log, the chill from the night air seeming to reach through her skin so it could seep into her bones.

What had she been thinking? How could she be so selfish? Shotaro must've known how lonely she'd be without him, he was only asking her along to be kind, and she had somehow ended up trapping him into marrying her. Her classmates were right. She was a wicked girl.

What could she do now? How could she make things right?

A quiet voice in the back of her head told her what she had to do, but it hurt so much to think of it. She had to let him go by himself. She had to give Sho up so that he could have his dreams. The very thought of it made her feel like her heart was bleeding. What would it be like after he was gone? She didn't know if she had the strength to do it, so she had come here to borrow some from the one place she knew she could always find it. She reached down into her schoolbag and pulled out a small coin purse. Inside was the stone that a fairy prince had given her years ago.

Sobbing, she held the purple stone up to the moonlight and watched as it turned to a brilliant red. She knew the stone was magic and she could feel the power surging through her fingers until it reached her heart. She could do this, she could.

"Oh, Corn." She sighed, closing her eyes and tightening her fingers around the stone. The hurt was still there somewhere, but the power was too. She knew she would be able to do the right thing. She wiped her tears away with her sleeve and stood up to go home.

When she reached the main entrance to the hotel, she was surprised to find Sho sprawled out on the grass staring blankly at a lock of his bleached hair, which he held above his face with two fingers.

"Sho?" she asked tentatively, steeling her resolve. She saw him tense and knew that he must've realized what she had – what everyone knew. That they couldn't get married because she didn't deserve to be his wife, even just on paper. He dropped his hand and sat up, crossing his arms and glaring at her.

She kneeled on the grass in front of him and bowed her head. "Sho," she said again quietly, not meeting his eyes. "I've been thinking a lot and --"

"My parents said I have one year to sign a contract. They've given me permission to go to Tokyo," he cut her off.

Kyoko's head snapped up and she looked at him in astonishment. That was wonderful! The Fuwa family wouldn't be torn apart and Sho would still have a chance to achieve his dreams. Things couldn't have worked out more perfectly.

Sho wasn't smiling. His eyes were narrowed and fixed on her and he still hadn't uncrossed his arms.

"But I can only go if we get married," he finished, and if anything his gaze seemed to have sharpened even more as he waited for her reaction.

Kyoko froze as she took in the words. She was filled with so many emotions that they seemed to cancel each other out and she was thoroughly numb as she realized that she didn't know what the right thing to do was any more.

They sat facing each other silently for what seemed like a very long time, neither of their faces expressing their thoughts.

Sho seemed to be waiting for some reaction, so belatedly Kyoko smiled and said "I'm so glad. Now we don't have to worry auntie and uncle when we leave."

The response apparently wasn't what Sho was looking for, because he shrugged his shoulders, stood up and walked into the house without saying another word. Kyoko laid back on the grass and looked up at the moon, wondering if Corn would think she was a coward.

Author's Notes:

That was pretty much the last part of what I needed to get across for Kyoto. The wedding and move to Tokyo are coming up in the next chapter. Before anyone wonders, no I haven't forgotten about her mother's permission! Don't worry. It'll be addressed.

Points for anyone who catches the extremely subtle song reference.


	8. Something Old and Blue

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Eight: Something Old and Blue

Kyoko's eyes were narrowed and she lifted a hand to shield them against the glaring sunlight as she walked the long road to school with Sho for the end-of-year festival. She couldn't help wishing that the school had been built in the other direction, so that she wouldn't be getting so sweaty before they even arrived. It was unseasonably warm and any sentimental reflections on it being the last time she and Sho would ever make this familiar journey that she might have indulged in were lost in favor of more mundane concerns.

Sho was not reminiscing either, and he was not suffering in silence like Kyoko. He'd been tense and irritable all week, ever since the night he'd told his parents about their plans, and it seemed like every day something happened to turn up the heat on the pressure cooker of his temper. His mother wept every time he spoke to her and his father split his time between trying to console her and giving lectures about how it wasn't too late for Sho to change his mind. To top it all off, Kyoko was so caught up in arranging things for the "wedding" and their move, that she hardly even paid attention to him. They were having a civil ceremony and lunch with his parents at his mother's favorite restaurant – how much could there be to plan?

The road took a subtle turn so that they were now walking directly into the sunlight and he swore out loud, promising that if it got any hotter he was taking his shirt off, school dress code be damned. They had officially graduated the day before anyway, and it wasn't like he could be expelled.

Kyoko murmured some half-hearted attempt to dissuade him, which made him even madder. Usually, she would have responded to something like that by blushing crimson and stammering a litany of excuses about propriety and leaving school on a positive note, probably promising to buy him a cold drink as soon as they arrived. Man, he wanted a cold drink. But she didn't care about his needs at all. What, now that they were getting married she was going to neglect him? He kicked a rock across the road and it hit a metal sign with a satisfying clang.

"We should have brought an umbrella," Kyoko mused, failing to notice Sho's senseless violence.

"What are you talking about? It's not even raining, dummy." Sho fumed, taking his resentment out on his school tie, which he tore off and flung to the wayside, knowing he'd never need to wear it again anyway.

Kyoko saw the scarlet fabric whip through the air and suddenly seemed to awaken to his greater discomfort – at least her uniform was a skirt, he must be much more uncomfortable in long pants – and she looked at him contritely.

Slightly appeased, Sho ordered her to walk three paces ahead of him so that he could use her shadow for shade. It didn't really reduce the temperature, but he was pleased to see her measuring her paces to try to stay exactly three paces ahead at all times until they arrived at the school gates.

He stepped up his pace so he could grab her arm before she entered.

"Remember the plan," he cautioned, menacingly.

"Of course!" Kyoko answered, eyes widening with surprise. She knew better than to tell anyone about their engagement. After keeping quiet the whole week, it wouldn't make any sense to mention it now. Besides, since Sho was going to be famous, it would be really bad to give their classmates any stories to sell to the press later on. Anyway, she was happy not to have to shame him in front of all of his friends. They would be so disappointed if they knew he was stuck marrying the least popular girl in school, even if he did have a good reason.

Perversely, her compliance irritated him. She shouldn't be so eager to keep it quiet. She was the luckiest girl in Japan – if she had half a brain in her head, she'd be dying to shout it from the rooftops. He felt vaguely insulted and opened his mouth to make a biting remark about her not seeming very excited for someone who was going to be married the next day, but he showed rare discretion by closing it with a grunt and stalking into the festival.

He knew that it was a bad idea to mention the wedding date, because just days before Kyoko had been willing to postpone it. His father had called Mogami Saena the day after the engagement to talk to her about paperwork and parental consent forms. The conversation had been quiet and quick and then Kenta had called Kyoko over, saying that her mother was faxing over a consent form and that she wanted to speak with her daughter.

Sho only overheard part of Kyoko's side of the conversation, but it was enough for him to realize that his parents would be the only guests at the wedding. Auntie was not willing to interrupt her work to come because she was in the middle of closing an important merger, and since she had considered their marriage a forgone conclusion for years, she didn't see a particular need to throw her whole schedule into chaos and fly to Japan.

Kyoko had offered to try to push back the wedding date if there was a better one for her mother – much to Sho's indignation, as doing so would delay their travel to Tokyo – but her mother refused to set a date and ended the call.

Kyoko hadn't cried and hadn't gone to the forest this time. She had just smiled sadly at Sho and told him that they could tell his parents the paperwork would be faxed within 24 hours.

Since then she'd thrown herself into wedding preparations. Every time he saw her she was flipping through apartment catalogues or hurrying to some store or another to buy clothes or things for the new apartment. His father had given her money to take care of the wedding and setting themselves up in an apartment, but he had made it clear to both of them that he would not be giving them any more help after they arrived. Sho was annoyed that his father had given the money to Kyoko and not him. Didn't he trust his own son? Apparently not. Sho got the distinct feeling that his father expected them to return to Kyoto in less than a year and that was rapidly eroding any gratitude he felt for his part in allowing them to try things in Tokyo.

He was still fuming when his classmates spotted him. He was surrounded by tearful girls and enthusiastic guys before he knew it, and when he finally looked around he couldn't see Kyoko in the crowd of people that surrounded him.

* * *

Kyoko was pushed to the side as a mob of classmates rushed to give Sho their well wishes. Everyone knew he would not be joining them in senior high and the reaction had been volatile. All of the girls in their grade had been distraught, while the guys seemed strangely pleased that he would be gone. Eventually she'd realized that they saw Sho as competition for girls and she knew that it must be hard for them to try to compete with someone as naturally talented and attractive as Sho.

No one had asked whether she would be attending high school with them, and they didn't seem to care much either way, so she hadn't mentioned it. She figured the best way to avoid gossip later on was to fade into the background even more than she did without trying so that they would simply forget about her.

It seemed to be working, she thought, as a girl trampled painfully over her foot without apologizing. To avoid further injury, she decided to walk around the festival. It was more crowded than such events usually were, because the gates were open to anyone who wanted to come, not just students and their guests. The courtyard was full of people of all ages, moving from booth to booth like migrating birds in complex flight patterns. There was music from a large stage set up by some of their juniors, where a pair of strange boys in dark round glasses were singing enka music somewhat off key. Kyoko chuckled, thinking of how Sho would probably end up forced onstage to spare the ears of the crowd before the day was through. She noticed that there were more paper flowers than balloons decorating the trees and stalls and was embarrassed to realize she had ruined the theme.

Most enticing, however, was the smell of all of the food different classes had prepared. Since she had volunteered for the decorating committee, Kyoko had been exempt from participating in her class booth. She knew they had decided on a food stand, though. Because she'd been so busy trying to finalize the last wedding preparations that morning, she hadn't had a chance to eat breakfast. Feeling her stomach rumble, she decided to use the free food voucher given to each student to support her class and headed over to the brightly decorated booth. For some reason, the sign said "Farewell Fuwa" in large characters, with "Food Stand" in tiny kanji underneath.

Nonetheless, it was a very popular booth and she had to wait in a long line to order. Her mouth was watering by the time she reached the register and she looked at the grills full of roasted meat and vegetables with longing.

"One order of teppanyaki!" She chirped, practically tasting her favorite festival food as she ordered.

Tsugami, the girl in charge of the register glared at her. "There are only five orders of teppanyaki left, you should let paying customers have them," she sneered, muttering something under her breath about Kyoko being "greedy as always."

Kyoko flushed, ashamed of not thinking about what was best for the class. "Oh, then... I'll take some negima."

Tsugami grabbed a skewer of the chicken and plopped it on a paper plate, snatching the voucher from Kyoko's hand and thrusting the food at the shorter girl, urging her to hurry up because she was keeping the line from moving.

Kyoko grabbed the plate quickly, bowing a hasty thanks before moving out of the way to seek a place to sit. She found a clear spot under a tree where she had eaten her lunch alone many times before and sat down. She took a bite of the negima and frowned. It was too salty for her taste and only lukewarm. It must've been a leftover from a previous order. Still, she was hungry and at least she hadn't taken the teppanyaki from the mouth of a paying customer.

* * *

"I'm soooo hungry," Sho sighed wistfully, as he lounged in a seat of honor at his class booth. The girls had insisted that it was too hot for him to work, and besides, he was bringing them lots of business just by being there. Tanaka Emi, ever attuned to Sho's slightest utterance, was at his side in an instant, holding out a plate of egg rolls, and smiling triumphantly at the other girls, who were still scrambling to grab the nearest food item to offer him.

"Here you go, Fuwa-san!"

"Thank you, Tanaka-san," Sho replied, already grabbing a roll. He paused to flash her a charming smile, at which Emi almost dropped the plate. The smile was short-lived, however, as Sho's face puckered in distaste after his first bite. He rallied and resurrected the thinnest of smiles as he rose from his chair.

"Excuse me," he said, already halfway out of the booth. The girls all commented on how amazing it was that Fuwa could be so perfect on so little sustenance. All Sho could think of was finding something – anything – to wash the horribly sweet taste of the egg roll from his mouth.

Fortunately, he spotted Kyoko sitting under a tree near the stall. He stalked over and grabbed the negima from her hand, dropping down next to her as he took a bite. He closed his eyes as the salty goodness cleansed his palatte. Kyoko stared longingly at the food, having barely had a bite and still feeling the vacancy in her stomach. But she never could deny Sho anything he wanted, and besides, he liked negima much more than she did.

Emi watched from the booth, her eyes narrowing as she saw the exchange. Once again, Kyoko was selfishly stealing Sho's attention, and on the day before he left them all forever too! Not one to stand idly by while such an injustice took place, she grabbed two more skewers of negima and hurried over to offer them to Sho.

"Here you go, Fuwa, these are fresh. We can't have our class star eating dirty second hand food," she cooed, shooting Kyoko and accusatory glare, as if she'd just force-fed Sho a rotten apple she'd picked up off the ground.

"I-" Kyoko started stammering an excuse, but she was cut off by a loud growl from her stomach and she flushed in shame.

Sho had just polished off all three of the skewers and looked at Kyoko in irritation. He gave a martyred sigh and pushed himself up from the ground without a word, striding back to the stall with his hands in his pockets.

"You see, he doesn't even want to sit next to you. How dare you try to feed him?" Emi lit in as soon as he was out of earshot.

Kyoko bowed her head and offered no argument.

"You're just so selfish," Emi continued, despite the lack of response from her target. "If it weren't for you, Fuwa would be perfect. You're like an ugly mole on his beautiful face. Why don't you just disappear from his life so he doesn't have to bear the disgrace of being associated with you?"

Kyoko looked up, but didn't answer. She knew that she couldn't disappear from Sho's life. He had to marry her or he wouldn't be able to go to Tokyo. His father had given her a long talk about how he trusted her and expected her to help Sho see sense. In the end, he wanted them both to take over the Fuwa inns and raise a family in Kyoto. She'd told him directly that she would do her best to make Sho happy, because she could never be happy if he wasn't, but made it clear that she would not do anything to interfere with his dream. But she suddenly realized as she stared at the hateful expression on her classmate's face that it was possible to interfere without meaning to. Without another word, she stood up, bowed to an even more infuriated Emi, and disappeared into the festival crowd, deciding to find something to eat elsewhere.

As she bit into a dango she purchased from another class' stand, she resolved that she would do everything in her power to make sure no one ever knew that she was Sho's wife. When she finished eating, she wiped her hands off and left the festival. She needed to make her final purchase before the wedding.

* * *

A few minutes later, Sho was annoyed to find the spot under the tree deserted and Kyoko nowhere to be found. He decided to eat the last order of teppanyaki, which he'd purchased for her, by himself.

* * *

The table was quiet as the three – now four – Fuwas ate their first official meal as a family. The civil ceremony had been formal and impersonal, just signing paperwork and making statements, almost as if they were applying for a driver's license or some sort of permit.

Sadako hadn't spoken or touched her food. Kyoko was sure that her mother-in-law hated her, because she was the reason Sho was able to go so far away. She was surprised and guilty at how disappointed she'd felt when Sho's mother refused to participate in the planning for the wedding. Somewhere in the back of her mind she must have been hoping that Auntie would be the kind of mother she'd always wanted. It was silly and selfish, she realized, because it didn't matter how good a mother was, if the daughter was unlovable of course she wouldn't be able to love her.

Sho was checking his watch every five minutes, eager to finish this awkward meal so that they could leave for Tokyo. He'd insisted that they go that afternoon, which was why they had planned for a lunch instead of a dinner. Everything was packed and it seemed that this last hour before they finally left stretched as long as all of the preceding months and years of waiting to finally start on the road to his dream.

The only one who made any effort at conversation was Kenta, but he was always the least talkative of the four and the task was beyond him. He frowned when he saw his son checking his watch, thinking that he could at least make some effort to comfort his mother, who was heartbroken at his impending departure. Sadako had much more faith than he did that this parting would be final. In her eyes, Shotaro was a perfect child, capable of achieving anything he set out to. She did not for one moment believe he would fail and return to Kyoto.

Kenta's eyes caught on the ring that reflected the bright lights of the restaurant every time Sho checked the time. He wondered again why Kyoko had chosen such strange wedding bands. Sho's ring was clunky and expensive, with obsidian stars embossed on a diamond base. Who ever heard of a ring made of diamond and decorated with other stones? She must have spent fully half of the budget he'd given her for the wedding accessories on the thing, and it showed when you compared it with her own.

Kyoko's ring was a simple sterling silver band embossed in blue with a flower design he strongly suspected was made of cubic zirconia. It couldn't have cost a tenth of the price of Sho's ring and the two didn't match at all. No one would even think they were wedding bands.

He stared at his new daughter-in-law, whose eyes had been mournfully fixed on his wife throughout the meal. She looked pretty, he thought, in a simple dress of white lace with a flower pattern, pink trim barely visible at the hem. She had obviously chosen an understated pattern so that she looked more like a girl out celebrating her graduation than a new bride. He knew that was the impression both children had wanted to give because it would be difficult for Sho to build a fan base if it was known that he was married. For the hundredth time, Kenta wondered if this was really the right thing to do.

It was too late for second thoughts, however, as the wedding had already been completed. And he knew that his son would not stay in Kyoto any longer, even if he tried to keep him there.

Eventually they finished eating and returned to the inn. Kyoko helped Kenta load their packages onto one of the inn's cargo vans - Sho insisted that he couldn't help because he had to spend as much time as possible comforting his mother before they left – and then it was time. Sho kissed his mother goodbye and extricated himself from her desperate embrace and Kenta drove them to Tokyo.

Author's note:

Okay, they're in Tokyo at last. Coming soon: Sho's rise to stardom, their adjustment to "marriage" and advancement towards the inevitable....

I really enjoy writing this story. Thanks to everyone who's left reviews.:the few, the proud, the reason I continue to post what I write.

The song reference in the previous chapter was "Time" by David Bowie (the line was "I look at my watch, it says 9:25 I think – Oh god, I'm still alive? I should be on by now"). No one got it, but it WAS extremely subtle. Some good guesses, though.

For the curious:

Kyoko's ring: .com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000C4QW8S/thecobaltblue-20 $30 US dollars.

Sho's ring: ./components/com_virtuemart/shop_ $1200 US dollars!

And of course, Kyoko's dress: ./3578/3765405825_bf8203dd6e_

1. Japanese-style teppanyaki uses noodles (yakisoba), cabbage with sliced meat or seafood (okonomiyaki) which are cooked using regular vegetable oil, animal fat, or a mixture.

2. Yakitori, grilled chicken, is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. It is made from several bite-sized pieces of chicken meat, or chicken offal, skewered on a bamboo skewer and barbecued, usually over charcoal. Yakitori made with onions is called "negima."

3. Dango is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour), related to mochi. It is often served with green tea. Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer.


	9. The Ground Floor

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Chapter Nine: The Ground Floor

For years, Sho had dreamed of moving to Tokyo. When he was ten, his class had been given a project where each student was to make a diorama of his home. Instead of the Fuwa Inn (which would have taken forever anyway, given the amount of rooms) he had created a spacious penthouse apartment, complete with several tiny guitars made out of cardboard and an improbable outdoor swimming pool, given the fact that penthouses were by definition located on the top floor of a building. He had gotten a B, but then again, so had Kyoko because she had gone ahead and done the Fuwa Inn, with all of the dozens of rooms and even incredible, finely detailed dolls of the Fuwas, herself and imaginary guests. The teacher had said that though they both worked hard neither of them had completed the assignment she asked for.

None of Sho's visions of his future in Tokyo had included a one room, sixteen tatami apartment with – was that a Japanese toilet? He investigated his new living space with growing indignation, not seeming to hear the caustic hints and eventual orders to help that his father gave, as he and Kyoko brought the boxes and furnishings in from the van.

"It's okay, Fuwa-san - I mean, Father," Kyoko huffed, short of breath as she dropped a futon onto the straw-matted floor. "We're on the ground floor so there aren't any stairs. I can take care of it while you and Sho relax. You must be tired from driving all this way."

Kenta's scowl at his son turned to pity as he looked at his daughter-in-law. Giving up, he shook his head and went out to get the kotatsu before Kyoko killed herself trying to carry the heavy table on her own.

Sho was transfixed in horror at the futons. As he hadn't assisted in choosing or moving the furnishings for the new apartment, he hadn't realized that they wouldn't have western beds. Of course, there wasn't room for standing beds in a one room apartment – futons could be folded up during the day and stored in some of the many cabinets that lined the entire wall and part of the ceiling of the apartment. That didn't lessen his fury at realizing that his father and Kyoko had somehow managed to find a place even more traditional than the Fuwa Inn, right in the heart of Tokyo.

Every time his father walked through the door, laden with boxes or bags, Sho's tongue itched to complain about what he saw as a ploy to get him to turn around and go right back to Kyoto. He kept his peace, though, lest his father take any protest as an excuse to cancel the lease and reload the van.

When the last load had finally been brought in, Kyoko immediately dug out a tea kettle and some leaves from one of the painstakingly labeled boxes and set water to boiling on one of the two gas ranges that were provided instead of a stove. The appliance took up almost half of the counter space in the tiny kitchen alcove.

Kenta collapsed down in front of the kotatsu, taking a minute to stretch his aching back before he summoned his son to sit across from him.

Sho made little endeavor to listen to his father's speech about rent and utilities and behaving responsibility and whatever other advice he was imparting about living on his own. He was looking past Kenta to scowl at the fridge - which barely reached Kyoko's shoulder, short as she was, as she shifted around in the kitchen.

Eventually, the tea was ready, and Kyoko brought it in on a wooden tray, serving both men with an innkeeper's perfect propriety before settling down with her own cup, kneeling in seiza posture despite her obvious exhaustion.

Sho sipped his fragrant tea without any semblance of gratitude and for a moment they sat in silence, Sho too angry and the others too tired to make conversation.

When the cups were empty, Kenta stood to leave, waving off Kyoko's offer to go get dinner for him before he set off on the long drive. He suggested that she send Sho off to pick up some noodles from the shop on the corner since he must have been saving his energy for just such a task when he failed to lift a finger to help them with moving, and assured her he'd get something to eat on the way home.

Kyoko rose and gave her father-in-law a formal bow, thanking him profusely for assisting with the move and paying for the deposit, key money and first and last month's rent. She promised they would both work hard to pay him back for his kindness. Sho stayed where he was, his arms crossed like his legs, and grunted an insincere "thanks" with a nod in his father's direction.

Kenta sighed and turned to go, stopping a step before the door to reach in his pocket.

"I almost forgot," he exclaimed, pulling out an envelope, which he held out to Kyoko. Thinking it was money, Sho jumped to his feet, snatched it from before Kyoko's outstretched hands, and bowed his thanks to his father.

Kenta smiled, saying he was happy his son appreciated his last wedding gift and then slipped his shoes on, leaving with a chuckle.

Sho had torn the envelope open before the door even closed and instantly threw its contents to the ground with a curse. Confused, Kyoko bent over and picked up the two slips of paper from the shredded envelope. They were one way bullet train tickets to Kyoto.

She looked sadly at Sho, who all but had flames coming out of his ears. She knew that the apartment wasn't what he'd dreamed of when he thought of moving to Tokyo, but the rent was only 40,000 yen and she wasn't sure how much they could afford. They both had to find part time jobs and she didn't know how long that would take because neither of them were high school graduates. It was a smaller place than she'd ever lived in as well, but she was still happy to be there, because Sho was there. It was _their _apartment and she had never before lived in a place she really felt belonged to her.

"This is all a plot," Sho spat, eventually. "He wants me to fail. But I'll show him! I'll be laughing in a mansion in no time."

Kyoko eagerly agreed, exclaiming that the record companies would have to be deaf not to sign him as soon as they heard him play.

Somewhat mollified, Sho was about to reply when a sharp rap sounded against the door, followed immediately by the squeak of the knob turning, though they hadn't given anyone permission to enter.

Expecting his father with more unwanted advice, Sho was surprised to see a hunch-backed old lady who looked exactly like Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle. She hobbled into the room as if she owned the place. It turned out that she did.

"Welcome. I'm the okami, Koga-shan," the landlady greeted, surveying her new tenants with piercing little eyes. She seemed to dismiss Kyoko out of hand, but her gaze stuck to Sho, roaming all over his toned body like lecherous hands. He shivered, feeling violated.

"You're gorgeoush, gorgeoush, gorgeoush!" she exclaimed fan girlishly, seeming to glide across the room to stand too close for his comfort. All traces of hobbling were gone.

Sho was torn between agreeing that he was in fact gorgeous and making up some revolting hidden birth defect to stop the old lady from ogling him. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Are you Chinese?"

Kyoko blushed at the impolite question, but the okami was cackling gleefully.

"No, no, no. However, I get that a lot. I'm from Shaga prefecshure. We're so closh to China that many people mishtake the accent for Mandarin. You have a good ear, gorgeoush." She gave a wink that seemed more like a multiplication of the wrinkles around her left eye.

Sho shuddered at the sight and Kyoko grasped helplessly for something to say, but it wasn't necessary as the landlady seemed happy to hear herself talk.

"The Koga'sh are an old shamurai family," she continued, straightening a bit. "I'm the lasht in the family line, shince I never had any children." She paused to rake her eyes over Sho again. "_However_, it'sh never too late to shtart."

Sho went white and Kyoko finally composed herself enough to think of something to say.

"Please take care of us," she said formally, bowing before the elder. Koga-san nodded impatiently, looking from Kyoko to Sho and back again.

"Are you full shiblingsh or half?" She asked, directly.

Sho looked indignant, somehow even more offended by this accusation than by the sexual harassment that had preceded it. "We're n-" he began, but Kyoko cut him off.

"Full siblings!" She blurted, uncomfortable with the lie, though she herself was the one who'd insisted upon it. It had taken quite a bit of convincing to get Kenta to agree to introduce them to the landlady as brother and sister, but she hadn't forgotten her resolution that no one would ever be able to hurt Sho's career with gossip about their marriage.

Koga-san looked suspiciously from one to the other, as if she were trying to read their DNA in their faces. "Geneticsh sure are cruel," she surmised when her scrutiny was complete.

"However, you're probably exshausted from all of that manual labor," she cooed sympathetically at Sho, who didn't have a single bead of sweat on him. "I'll let you get shome resht, poor poor poor thing."

She turned to Kyoko, all tender concern gone in an instant. "The rent ish due on the firsht every month, burnable trash is collected on Mondaysh, Wenshdaysh and Fridaysh, recyling and all other garbash on Thurshdaysh. No petsh and no loud mushic after nine."

Unable to help herself, she gave Sho one more appreciative glance. "I'll bring you shome mandarin orangesh once they're in sheason. My coushin shends me a case every year." She promised, before she trundled out the door.

As soon as he was certain she was gone, Sho turned to Kyoko, even angrier than he'd been before the unexpected visit. "Since when are you my sister?" he demanded.

Kyoko bit her lip, pushing her index fingers together nervously. "I had to think of a way to explain why we were living together without telling her we were married," she explained apologetically. "Or else she could tell the press about it after you become famous."

Unable to find fault with that reasoning, Sho looked around for something else to vent about. The idea that anyone would consider Kyoko his sister infuriated him, though he didn't analyze why that was so. All he knew was that the idea was ridiculous and offensive and he'd never wanted to punch an old lady so much in his entire life.

Sensing how upset Sho was and taking the blame upon herself for not giving him more warning about the apartment and the cover story for the landlady, Kyoko poured him another cup of tea. He took it ungratefully and plopped back down at the table, still fuming.

"You've had a really stressful day," Kyoko sympathized, tenderly. "I'll draw you a nice hot bath so you can relax while I go get us something to eat."

Sho grunted his assent, glaring at the bare walls of the apartment as he drank his tea. He could hear the sound of the tap being turned on from the bathroom and felt that a good soak was the least he deserved.

Quickly growing bored once he was left alone, he tapped his fingers impatiently against the table. After a few minutes Kyoko came back to fetch a towel and some toiletries from one of the boxes. As she leaned over, his eyes were drawn to the strands of hair that stuck to her neck, probably from a mixture of sweat and the humidity from the bath water. She'd piled most of her hair on top of her head to keep it out of the way while they were moving, but a few loose strands had escaped and they clung to the soft curve of her neck and shoulder in a feminine, almost sensual way.

It occurred to him that this was their wedding night and that there was only one room that could possibly be used for sleeping. He felt himself flush as several ideas of what any of his classmates would image if they knew he was in such a situation floated dreamily across his mind. The room suddenly felt warmer and he looked determinedly away from Kyoko, trying to see if there was an air conditioner. He found one and had just turned it on, when Kyoko declared his bath ready. He hurried from the room without looking at her, slamming the door to the bathroom shut behind him.

Kyoko rubbed her hands across her tired eyes and grabbed her purse, already creating a mental list of what she'd need to buy at the grocery store.

Author's notes:

Saga prefecture is on an island close to the Chinese mainland, so it's not unheard of for people to confuse the dialect with Mandarin if they haven't heard it before. It's characterized by "sh's" instead of "s" sounds, frequent use of a word that translates to "however" and a tendency to repeat words three times. They're famous for pottery and one of their major exports is mandarin oranges.

Japanese apartments are generally coded 1 DK, 1K, 2 DK, etc. The number is the number of rooms (1K is kind of a loft, one room for sleeping doubles as a living room) and the letters stand for Dining Room and Kitchen. Prices are affected by proximity to public transportation. Tatamis (named for the straw mats that are the most common flooring in older buildings) are the standard unit of measurement. A sixteen tatami mat apartment is tiny by American standards, but still on the slightly larger side of average for 1K apartments. Obviously, Kenta and Kyoko chose a 1K apartment for the newlyweds to start out in.

Traditional Japanese toilets are very low to the ground – kind of like horizontal urinals. You have to squat over them. They're cordoned off from the rest of a Japanese bathroom by a wall or partition so one person can use the toilet while another bathes.

A kotatsu is a low Japanese table, meant to be used without chairs. In the winter, a futon is placed in a special section so that it covers the legs and laps of the diners, and the table can be heated for extra warmth. This is especially important because Japanese apartments don't have central heating – kerosene heaters are used instead – and it can get pretty chilly eating on the floor.

40,000 Yen is about $400 – insanely cheap for a Tokyo apartment. Kyoko did her homework when looking through the real estate catalogs.

Seiza posture is a formal, polite way to sit at table. In casual settings, most women will sit with their legs together, to one side and men will sit "Indian Style" with their legs crossed under them. It's more tiring to kneel upright.


	10. What They Did Instead of Sleeping

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Ten: What They Did Instead of Sleeping - Part One

Maybe it would've been better if Kyoko had snored. Then he would have been able to wake her up and demand that she stop. But the apartment was completely silent as Sho lay staring at the ceiling, and he had no outlet for the frustration that was making a vein stand out in the center of his forehead.

It was eight o'clock in Tokyo and he was lying on a futon in a tiny apartment while his wife slept like the dead three feet away. This was no way for a future legend to begin his career.

A bicycle bell chirped from the street outside and he heard two children chatter about what their mother would be cooking for dinner. Sho sat straight up in indignation. That was it. He refused to go to sleep like an old man while little kids were still out roaming around!

He got up, throwing his blanket violently to the side. It landed partially over Kyoko's arm, waking her. She opened her eyes reluctantly, blinking several times to force the lids to stay parted.

"Sho-chan?" she murmured.

Sho whirled around defensively to glare down at her, hands on his hips. "I can't sleep!" he growled.

A bit more awake, Kyoko pushed herself up with one arm. She could feel every muscle in her body begging for a break after the strain of moving and unpacking, but she determinedly ignored her own exhaustion when she saw Sho's unhappy face. This had been a stressful day for him, after all. Not only was this the first night he'd ever spent away from his family who loved him, but he had to spend it with her. Not just with her either – but married to her! Her heart ached as she imagined the disappointment he must feel. He had sacrificed so much just for this chance to start his career.

"Of course. So much has happened that you must feel very wound up," she sympathized, gazing at him with tender concern. "Why don't I prepare us some warm milk?"

Sho crossed his arms and watched with satisfaction as Kyoko got up and turned on the overhead light, padding over to the small kitchen alcove to dig out a saucepan.

He stretched his arms over his head, arching his back like a cat, then settled down in front of the kotatsu, tapping his fingers against the surface as he waited for his milk.

A few minutes later, Kyoko presented him with a mug and kneeled across from him, holding her own with two unsteady hands as she waited politely for him to drink first. He threw back the entire contents of his mug in just two gulps and wiped his hand across his mouth to erase the white mustache he didn't doubt had accumulated.

When he looked up, he saw Kyoko raising her full glass. For the first time in his memory, Kyoko actually committed a breach in table manners. Still only half-awake, she'd missed her mouth, causing the warm milk to splash onto her cheek. He found himself unable to look away from the translucent white liquid as it dripped down her face and over her neck.

After a second, it dawned on Kyoko that she had made a mess. She blushed and immediately jumped to her feet to run for a towel to mop up the spill, apologizing profusely all the while.

Sho blinked hard, shaking his head to clear it. What was the _matter_ with him today? Obviously, he was going crazy from spending too much time with Kyoko. By the time she finished cleaning, Sho was rifling through the few remaining boxes that had yet to be unpacked – all of them contained shoes and clothing.

"I'm going out," he announced, his head in the box he was currently searching. "You go back to bed."

Kyoko hung her head in shame. Of course he wouldn't want to be around her any longer than he had to; who knew what mess she'd make next? She walked over to the pile of boxes contritely and asked which outfit he was searching for.

"Never mind. This is it," Sho grunted, grabbing whatever was at hand without looking at it. He sped to the bathroom to change, locking the door behind him and breathing a sigh of relief at having escaped the uncomfortable proximity to Kyoko.

He really needed to get out and do something before he completely lost his mind. Only a lunatic would have ever even considered.... That uncute, boring woman! He forced himself to focus on buckling his belt and resolutely abandoned that train of thought.

* * *

Kyoko neatly folded the clothes that Sho had tossed around during his search for something to wear. She couldn't believed how silly she'd been. Selfishly making Sho feel guilty for waking her up. He must've noticed how tired she was when she spilled the milk. That must be why he wouldn't look at her. Poor Sho was always so caring and now she'd made him feel bad.

There had to be something she could do to make him feel better. She leaned against the cabinet-lined wall and pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, trying to squeeze the sleepiness out of her head.

That was it! She had to show Shotaro that she wasn't tired so he wouldn't feel guilty about waking her up. Stifling a yawn, she returned to the boxes, pulling out the dress she'd worn earlier. Knowing how long it took Sho to do his hair, she didn't think twice about getting changed in the main room. By the time Sho emerged from the bathroom, she was fully dressed and brushing out her long hair.

Sho stopped two steps into the room, confused. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm too excited!" Kyoko exclaimed, looking up at him with shining eyes. It took all of her strength, but she would be perky until it killed her before she'd let Sho feel bad because of her. She hopped up to her feet and pointed to the bathroom. "Are you done in there? I want to wash my face before we go."

He grabbed her arm as she tried to trot past him. "Aren't you tired? And what do you mean 'before _we_ go?'"

Kyoko turned to him enthusiastically. "Of course I'm not tired! This is our first night in Tokyo! I can't wait to see the city! Where do you want to go?"

"I was going to go to Shibuya to see a live house," he said, slowly panicking. He was trying to get away from Kyoko. Besides, he couldn't take her where he was going. Shibuya had the best punk music but it was also.... Shibuya. He felt warmth creeping up his neck as he remembered what else the district was famous for... Love Hotel Hill. The streets were teeming with prostitutes, players and middle aged men on the prowl for young girls. "You can't go to Shibuya." He said firmly.

"But why not?" Kyoko asked, her face falling. Sho stared into her innocent eyes and grasped around for a reason he could give her... one that would not lead to him having to answer any questions about embarrassing topics. "You'll be bored?" It didn't even sound convincing to himself.

Kyoko forced a brilliant smile and shook her head. "No, I promise I won't Sho! Thank you for worrying about me, but it will be great! I swear I won't be bored at all!"

Sho opened his mouth to protest, but she was already in the bathroom turning on the faucets of the sink to wash her face.

He paced back and forth, raising a hand to run through his hair before he remembered how long it took to get the spikes symmetrical. He closed his fingers into a loose fist and brought his hand down, trying to think of what to do. The white lace dress Kyoko was wearing made her look like a little doll. She wouldn't be able to go five steps from the train station before all the perverted old salary men swarmed her.

He kicked a stack of boxes and one fell to the ground, clothes spilling out across the floor. He caught sight of the sleeve of his leather jacket and had an idea.

He walked over to the bathroom and leaned against the door frame, frowning. Kyoko saw him in the mirror and turned to him nervously. "How do I look?" She asked, twisting her hands together.

Sho quickly scanned her and shook his head, giving her a thumbs-down. "You look way too young, they'll never let you in anywhere."

Kyoko surveyed her dress, pinching the lace in dismay. "But this is the nicest outfit I have."

Sho sighed and clucked his tongue. "There's nothing for it then, you'll just have to stay home."

Kyoko sagged in relief, until she realized that Sho must not have believed her when she said she wasn't tired. Oh, Sho was so thoughtful. He wanted to give her a way out of coming so she could go back to sleep. She clenched her fists resolutely. "I'll find something else! Something that makes me look older!"

Sho watched her rifling through her clothing, confident that she wouldn't have anything mature in her entire wardrobe. She was Kyoko, after all.

He was baffled when she suddenly exclaimed "I know!" And pulled out a Daimaru department store bag from one of the closets.

"I wasn't sure about this when I bought it, but the saleslady said if I was moving to Tokyo I had to have some trendy clothes or I'd look like a country bumpkin."

She pulled out a black miniskirt and a silver top that seemed to have more straps than actual shirt. Sho's jaw dropped and he grabbed the clothes from her hands, shoving scraps of fabric back into the bag.

"No way! Absolutely not!" He huffed, stuffing the bag into an overhead cabinet – where Kyoko would never be able to reach it again.

"But she said it's what all the girls in Tokyo wear," Kyoko protested.

"That's probably why all the doctors in Tokyo are so rich, then, because if all the girls here dress like that they must walk around with pneumonia all year long." Sho insisted, looking around to reassure himself that there was no furniture tall enough for Kyoko to stand on to access the cabinet in the future.

Kyoko sighed. He was right. She would look silly in an outfit like that anyway. She wasn't beautiful and she didn't have enough style to pull it off.

Satisfied that Kyoko would never see her "trendy" clothes again, Sho grabbed his leather jacket from its place on the floor and threw it at her. "Put this on," he ordered.

Kyoko looked at the jacket – his favorite – black leather with patches of different British and American bands all over it. "Really?" She breathed. Sho rarely let anyone even touch this coat.

"Just do it," he muttered, stalking into the bathroom. He rested his forehead against the cold mirror, trying to cool down the different emotions that were bubbling around in his brain – anger, frustration, annoyance and.... and annoyance!

* * *

The jacket actually went well with the lace dress. The contrast seemed intentional, like something Madonna might have worn in the 80s. Her long black hair didn't really look right hanging loose, however, since it was too close to the color of the jacket. So Kyoko grabbed the decorative chopsticks she'd taken out when she went to bed and pinned her hair up again.

Finished, she sought out Sho for his opinion on the finished outfit. She was surprised to see him applying eyeliner. "I didn't know you knew how to do that!" She cooed in admiration.

She'd always loved makeup but never learned how to apply it, since she had no female friends and Mrs. Fuwa had not thought that young women should wear cosmetics.

Sho smirked proudly. "Of course, image is everything for a rock star," he explained straightening up to survey his work. He used his pinky to smudge the lines in the corners, so they seemed to fade mysteriously into shadows by his eyes.

Kyoko clasped her hands together in wonder. "You're even more beautiful than usual!"

Sho leaned his head back and laughed, rubbing a fist against his chest in an arrogant pose. "What do you expect? I'm Fuwa Sho!"

Kyoko nodded, stars in her eyes. "There's nothing you can't do!" She agreed.

Coming down from his self-satisfied euphoria, he looked Kyoko over and noticed that her hair was back the way she'd had it during the move, wisps clinging to her neck and all. Noticing his stare, Kyoko nervously asked what was wrong.

"You still look too young!" Sho snapped. He walked towards her, seeming to tower above her. Kyoko cowered, preparing to apologize for still failing to look old enough to get into a club.

Sho saw her flinch and it annoyed him even more than her stupid sexy hairdo did.

But as much as Kyoko irritated him, it still made him uncomfortable to think of her being afraid of him. So with a long-suffering sigh, he ordered her to open her eyes. She did so hesitantly, looking up at him like a puppy that had peed on the floor.

"Now keep them open," he commanded.

Confused but obedient, she did so, but she blinked and jumped back reflexively when Sho approached her with the eyeliner. Scowling, he told her to stand still, grabbing her chin with one hand to hold her head steady. "Now look up."

After a few more tries, he managed to apply the thinnest trace of eyeliner to each eye, giving her a face a cleaner, more alert look that went well with the leather jacket and lace dress.

Satisfied, he turned away to apply his own finishing touches - a long black cord that he wrapped several times around his throat and the clunky obsidian "wedding ring." He smirked at himself in the mirror, licking his thumb and running it across one of his eyebrows, admiring his own perfection.

"Okay, let's go!"

Kyoko snapped to attention just like she used to when they played army as children. He half expected her to say "yes, commander!" as she picked up her purse and shoes and headed for the sunken apartment entrance.

He picked out a pair of brown suede boots that matched his corduroy jacket – he'd decided they'd look stupid if they both wore leather, like a couple or something. Stepping into the small entranceway, he leaned against the opposite wall as they put their shoes on.

Author's notes:

Daimaru is a department store in Kyoto.

Yes, the "stupid, sexy Flanders" reference is intentional.

This is barely half of what I wanted to put into this chapter. The rest is already drafted, it's just too late to type it out without ruining my chances of getting up for work in the morning. I have a promise to myself to get a chapter a week out minimum, so I've decided to split chapter ten into chapters ten and eleven (and possibly twelve).

For the record: while you can't avoid influence from anything you read, this story has been outlined for quite a few months and both the sibling cover story and clothing scenes were decided upon before the Cain sibling arc came out. There is no intention to parallel Ren's dealings with Setsu. I have to say that as much as I love the whole Cain sibling plot, I was a bit annoyed by the timing of it!

Thank you everyone who reviewed! I read every single one. Often!


	11. What They Did Instead of Sleeping Pt 2

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Eleven: What They Did Instead of Sleeping - Part Two

"But are you sure..." Kyoko trailed off hesitantly, as she dragged her feet up yet another long, uphill side street.

"For the eleven thousandth time, YES, the station is this way," Sho insisted, through clenched teeth, speeding up his already brisk pace.

"Excuse me, young man, do you mean Shiinamachi station?"

Sho stopped dead in his tracks, causing Kyoko to walk right into his back. Slowly, he turned to face a balding, middle-aged man in a magenta track suit who was obviously out for an evening jog.

"What other station would we be going to in Shiinamachi?" Sho bit out.

The older man raised his eyes at the bad manners, but glancing at Kyoko, he shook his head and continued. "Well, you want to turn around then, son. The station's about six blocks back the way you just came."

Sho opened his mouth, immediately closed it again. Grabbing Kyoko's arm, he turned to drag her back down the hill. Kyoko called a faint "thank you!" to the stranger, which only made Sho walk faster and pull harder.

They didn't say another word as they walked past the tall fences and winding allies that lined the way to the station. They were silent as they passed the tangle of parked bikes and entered the terminal. Not until they had spent a good five minutes reclined on the surprisingly comfortable blue upholstered seats of the Yamanote line did Sho turn to Kyoko, who was nodding deeply in rhythm with the train's movement, fighting hard to stay awake.

"You're the one who wanted to come anyway, idiot." he muttered quietly. She didn't reply. A sudden stop jerked her sideways and she almost banged headfirst into the metal bar in front of her seat. Reflexively, Sho had thrown a hand up, so her head bounced painlessly off his palm.

"Idiot," he said again, standing to push her into his seat, taking the one in front of the bar himself.

* * *

Kyoko blinked several times, wishing she had the energy to take in her surroundings. Shibuya Station was every bit as dynamic as the movies had made it seem. There were lights and billboards to rival New York's Times Square and it was fascinating to watch traffic stop in all four directions while pedestrians crossed the street all at once.

"Look, Sho-chan, it's Hachiko-san!" She grabbed his sleeve and pointed towards a statue of a dog on a high pedestal.

"Who cares? We're not meeting anyone. And why are you speaking formally about a dumb dog?" Sho shrugged her hand off and straightened his jacket.

"Hachiko-san wasn't dumb, though, he remembered the last place he saw his master and came back every day for years and years."

"Like I said: what a dumb dog. His master was dead, but he still kept coming." He concluded, trying to be discreet about figuring out what direction they should be taking. He spotted a couple wearing leather - the woman with a bare midriff, the man with a bleach blonde Mohawk and a case of Kirin over his shoulder - and decided to follow them, hoping that they were going to the club district and not from it towards Love Hotel Hill.

Fortunately, the couple was starting and not ending their evening. Soon enough, they turned onto a side street that was entirely lined with alternatively dressed young people. The queue followed along the side of a brick-walled building, leading up to a distant marquee that shouted in neon letters that The Breaks were headlining at Punkass Lady to You. Sho assumed that was the name of the live house, and he liked it already.

He raised a hand to quickly tap at his hair, assuring himself that it was still perfectly in place, then shoved one hand nonchalantly into his pocket and strolled to the back of the line. Kyoko followed, collapsing against the brick wall to support herself. She raised her hand to cover a yawn and closed her eyes briefly while Sho eavesdropped on the people around them.

"We're NOT having a baby!" The mohawked man they'd followed was crowing, handing out cans of Kirin and shaking hands with random strangers in line. His girlfriend had buried her face in her hands and Sho heard her mock-whisper to a girl in fishnet stockings that she was surprised he hadn't taken the pregnancy test to have it bronzed.

"Oh my god! Do you still have it? That's a great idea!" The boyfriend jumped with enthusiasm, so much so that the next three cans of beer he gave out exploded when opened.

When the man settled down, his eyes fell on Kyoko and he handed her a drink, telling her she had an awesome jacket. This caused several people to turn around and Sho could swear he overheard someone saying that she was hot. Annoyed, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to her, propping one leg against the brick like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. He considered finding another club, because obviously the people at this one had terrible taste if they thought a plain, boring woman like Kyoko was hot when he was standing right there looking a hundred times better.

Meanwhile, the mohawked man had bypassed the entire line and was attempting to stroll into the club. The gigantic thick-lipped bouncer grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. Sho smirked in anticipation.

"Ryota, no one is happier that Mei isn't propagating your retarded genes than me, but no outside drinks in the house. You trying to drive us out of business?" The mohawked man gave the rest of the case of Kirin to the bouncer, who opened one immediately and waved him through. His girlfriend, presumably Mei, followed him in, laughing and waving winningly to the line of people they had just cut. There were a few catcalls, but no one really seemed to mind.

Author's notes:

Okay, this is a really short update, I just haven't touched the story in a long while and realized I had to pick up again sometime or I'd never touch it again. Real life has been a trainwreck, but things are settling down. I should be able to finish transcribing this chapter – for which I finished the draft months ago! - this weekend and move on with the story.

Fair warning, I'm not just interested in mapping out Kyoko and Sho's relationship or lack thereof. I'm also really interested in how he gets started as a musician and how he relates to his art, how the industry changes him. Expect to see a lot of things the manga is unlikely to ever touch upon – like his first real band and why he started out at a punk club and ended up doing visual kei.

I appreciate everyone who's stayed with the story, and I promise there should be more coming soon.

Review if you enjoyed it, or if you hated it. I love hearing what everyone thinks. It's good to have my head back in this story!


	12. What They Did Instead of Sleeping Pt 3

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Eleven: What They Did Instead of Sleeping - Part Three

The bricks were cool against her neck; Kyoko sleepily turned her head so her cheek could share the soothing benefit. She smiled when she saw Sho leaning against the wall next to her. He was so sweet to keep her company when there must be so much he wanted to see and do on his first night out in Tokyo.

She leaned forward a bit to open the can the nice stranger had given her and Sho turned around at the sound of the metal tab being snapped. She was halfway through a long gulp when he took the drink away.

"What're you doing? That's alcoholic!" he lectured, taking an exasperated sip to calm his irritation. Kyoko had no drinking experience and the last thing he needed was for her to get drunk in one of the most dangerous parts of the most dangerous city in Japan. Especially in a line full of guys with weird taste who apparently thought she was attractive.

His head turned to follow a pair of long, fish-netted legs strutting past the club. Now, that's attractive, he thought.

He was still preoccupied when the crowd suddenly hushed. A man jostled his elbow as he pushed past to whisper to a friend, causing Sho to spill some of his beer.

"Hey, moron!" he snapped, the sound of his voice carrying further than intended in the muted crowd.

A man with a large instrument case strapped to his back wearing a spiked jacket with chains dangling from his ears to a leather collar around his neck stopped at the sound of Sho's voice and looked around.

The guy who had bumped into Sho started whispering even louder. "He's stopping! That's Oh Penwound – leader of The Breaks!"

"Did someone call me a moron?" The musician asked. His voice was curious, but there was an undercurrent of threat in everything about him that turned the relative quiet into dead silence. Twenty hands instantly pointed in Sho's direction.

Oh Penwound sauntered forward, stopping to ash his cigarette in the plastic cup that the man next to Sho was holding.

"Oh Penwound just used my cup as an ashtray!" the man whispered excitedly to his friend.

Ignoring this, the musician looked Sho up and down, his face expressionless. "Did you just call me a moron, kid?" He asked, leaning into Sho's personal space.

Sho swallowed nervously. He hadn't met too many people in his life that were taller than he was, but this man had a good three inches on him and each of his fingers wore a ring with a sharp looking spike on it, any one of which could probably scar his face for life. Suddenly, Kyoko hiccuped beside him, probably from the beer she shouldn't have been drinking. He realized if he didn't say anything he'd come off looking as inexperienced as she did so he stood up straight and looked the taller man directly in the eye.

"I didn't call you a moron. I called that moron a moron. Mind your business." He replied, sticking his chin in the air.

The musician laughed and spread his arms out to indicate the crowd. "My show, my business." He said, simply.

Kyoko hiccuped again, and this time she drew the attention of the tall stranger. He scanned her slowly, taking in the innocent but slightly dangerous look of her as she lounged against the wall in what he took to be supreme boredom.

"Hello," he drawled, almost to himself. He leaned over to place one arm against the wall on either side of her head. "What's your name?"

Kyoko blinked up at him, confused and muddled from exhaustion and alcohol. Before she could respond, Sho had clamped a hand down on one of the musician's wrists, yanking it up into the air and grabbing Kyoko with his other hand to pull her away from the wall and behind him. She was unsteady on her feet so she leaned against Sho's back for balance.

The crowed started murmuring excitedly at the scene.

"What's your problem?" Sho asked, hating this guy more and more every second. There was obviously something wrong with anyone who would rudely interrupt a conversation to sexually harass Kyoko. His stomach churned as he thought of it.

The musician's dark eyebrows knit together and he scowled at Sho. "I don't have a problem, kid. She didn't seem to have a problem, either. So what's your problem? What are you, her father?"

Sho gritted his teeth, his hands tightened into fists that just itched to connect with this man's face. Before he could respond, though, Kyoko's dazed voice piped up.

"He's my brother, not my father. Isn't that obvious? He's way too young to be a father."

Sho squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. She was not doing him any favors. Every time he heard that stupid sibling lie he wanted to projectile vomit, and who was she to say he's too young to be a father in front of all these people in the middle of Shibuya? He was a grown man!

"Shut up, Kyoko, I'm handling this!" he hissed. The taller man smiled.

"Kyoko? Pretty name," he commented, causing a vein to stick out on Sho's forehead. Suddenly, he laughed. "You've got guts – for a kid."

"And you've got nerve - for an adult who hits on teenage girls," Sho snapped back.

The musician raised an eyebrow, looking Kyoko over again. "Ah, underage." He shook his head sadly. "Make sure to come to one of my shows again in a couple of years Kyoko-chan." He smiled winningly.

"She'll be too busy at my arena concerts to come to your shitty live house in a couple of years, so don't wait for her." Sho bit out.

The musician laughed again. "You sure can talk, kid. But big words don't mean too much without the talent to back it up."

"Oh! Come on, man, you're on in five minutes!" The bouncer shouted from the front of the line.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Zoo. Put this kid on the guest list – he's got balls. Name is 'Kyoko's Brother." He saluted Sho and Kyoko with one hand and headed in to the venue.

Sho blinked in confusion at the sudden change in moods until he realized the bouncer was waving him to the front of the line. "What'd you say to Oh?" the large man asked as he put a rubber stamp onto each of their hands. "He never puts anyone on the list."

Sho shrugged and steered Kyoko into the venue.

Author's notes:

Sorry for the long delay in updating and the fact that I STILL haven't edited the whole chapter for What They Did Instead of Sleeping. There's only one more part left to it, but it's an important one, so I want to make sure it's just right before posting it.

Had a death in the family, intense work responsibility (which resulted in a major promotion!) and some health problems – all of which interfered with my progress on this story. I really love Sho Business, though, so trust and believe it will never be abandoned, even if it is neglected from time to time. As always, any reviews are appreciated!


	13. What They Did Instead of Sleeping Pt 4

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Eleven: What They Did Instead of Sleeping - Part Four

In his research about live houses, Sho had been surprised to read that few artists spent money on fog machines, focusing more on lighting and stage props for their shows. The second he stepped through the door of Punkass Lady to You, he understood why. Everybody man and woman in the place seemed to have a cigarette in hand. He coughed a moment and pushed his was through the jam packed crowd to the somewhat less smokey bar, dragging Kyoko behind him.

He was standing on tiptoe, looking for an open space at the counter so he could order a drink when a hand slapped him on the back, almost knocking him over. He turned to find the mohawked man from outside grinning at him.

"I hear you faced down Oh Penwound, dude, how epic!" the man gushed, slapping Sho between the shoulder blades until his girlfriend came and grabbed him by the elbow.

"Stop it, Ryota, you'll put a hole in his jacket," she scolded, turning to smile apologetically at Sho. "Don't mind him, stupidity is his way of life. I'm Mei, and this is Ryota."

Sho smirked, uncertain how to respond and falling back on arrogant self-confidence, which had always worked for him in the past. Kyoko's manners were better and automatic, however. She immediately bowed to the couple.

"No need to apologize, Mei-san, Ryota-san," she said formally. "I am Kyoko-chan and this is Shot-"

"Fuwa Sho," he cut in, glaring at Kyoko for almost revealing his old-fashioned full name.

Ryota laughed, exclaiming that he'd never been bowed to at a punk show before and Mei smiled warmly at Kyoko. She bowed back with a "nice to meet you, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko's answering smile was broken by a yawn and Ryota immediately shoved a man off of the nearest bar stool and offered Kyoko the seat. She hesitated, offering the chair to Sho, who shook his head and waved her towards the bar.

Mei knitted her forehead at Kyoko's submissiveness and squeezed in between barstools to stand next to the younger girl at the counter. "You shouldn't treat your boyfriend too well, you know, he won't respect you."

Kyoko blinked back at her. "He's not my boyfriend!" She disclaimed quickly. Then, less confidently she added "He's my... my brother."

Mei raised her eyebrows skeptically and was about to question further when Ryota draped himself over her shoulder, leaning into the space between the two women.

"Mei, this kid is hilarious! He doesn't even know who Oh Penwound is but he totally faced him down in front of his own live house. Can't wait to see how Oh takes that! He put them on the guest list and you know he never does favors without a reason. We're in for a show tonight!"

Mei frowned, looking from Sho to Kyoko and up to the stage, where the opening act was wrapping up their last song.

"Anyway, I have to buy these two a drink to thank them in advance for whatever's going to happen. I swear, this is the best night of my life!" Ryota gushed, planting a kiss square on Mei's lips before waving down the bartender, who rolled his eyes and shouted "What now, Ryota?"

"Two beers!" he shouted back, but Sho stepped forward and yelled "One beer and one Pepsi!"

The bartender took a hard look at Sho and Kyoko and yelled "Two Pepsis, coming up!"

Sho scowled, irked that the bartender had correctly guessed his age. He shouldn't have said anything, but he really didn't trust Kyoko to have any more to drink than she'd already had. She was practically falling asleep again as it was.

Ryota laughed as he threw money onto the counter for the non-alcoholic beverages, then handed his own beer to Sho, telling him to drink up.

Sho shook his head and pushed the second-hand drink back at Ryota – he really wasn't interested in sharing an indirect kiss with some random dude. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Ryota handed the rejected drink to Kyoko, who thanked him politely and took a sip. Shouting incoherently, Sho grabbed the drink from Kyoko's hand and downed the bitter drink in one gulp, glaring down at her like a stone demon.

Kyoko opened her mouth to apologize for whatever had upset him, when a crackle of feedback made her wince and they all turned to the stage.

The lighting changed to shades of blue with puddles of color shining over the audience in random bursts. A cheer rose up from the crowd as the main act took the stage and a girl with a "Them's the Breaks!" t-shirt knotted above her navel started screaming "Oh Oh Ohhhhhh!" in a way that made Sho want to cover Kyoko's ears.

Satisfied that she wasn't paying attention (she was resting her head in one hand, her elbow on the bar in a display of uncharacteristically poor posture), he turned to assess the group on stage.

The venue was small enough that it was easy to make out all of the band members, even the swarthy shirtless drummer who looked like he hadn't shaved in a week. The lead singer was skinny to begin with and the mesh shirt he wore made him look emaciated. He had an unfocused look in his eyes, which were coated with dark makeup. The guitar he wore seemed bigger than he was and Sho found himself surprised that he could even lift the instrument. The only member of the group that had any type of stage presence was the bass player, Oh Penwound, the crazy man who'd hit on Kyoko. He was tall and muscular and wore leather under the hot lights as if it were cotton. His chain link jewelery sparked blue as the spotlights passed over him and if he hadn't met him outside, Sho would have thought it was the lighting that turned his hair blue. More than his appearance, though, there was this atmosphere that surrounded him. He exuded confidence and the entire stage seemed built to contain him. He was completely in command of the venue, as was proven when the place fell silent at the lift of his hand.

Sho scowled at the display of power. "I could do that," he muttered.

"Well, looks like the classy crowd ain't showing again," Oh began, looking over the audience with mock derision. The insult was met with enthusiastic applause. Shaking his head, the bassist lit a cigarette, positioned it in the side of his mouth and picked up his instrument. "Shall we, ladies?" he said to his band. He was met with a quick drumroll and the start of their first song.

Sho smirked as the song went on. The drummer was decent but nothing special, the song was not complicated and really didn't leave much room for improvisation. The lead singer was a mess, seeming incapable of staying on top of his guitar while singing and vice versa. He was off key every other line and it was pretty painful to listen to. Little as Sho liked to admit it, the bass was good – it felt like the instrument was being caged by a song that wasn't big enough for it. All in all, it was a listenable performance, but nothing to justify Penwound's arrogance.

It seemed the bassist knew it, because as soon as his last chord was played he spit the end of his cigarette angrily onto the stage and grabbed a bottle of Kirin from off the amp, chugging hard. The crowd screamed and applauded but Sho got the feeling it was more due to Penwound's attitude than to the song they'd just heard.

Oh took one more chug then returned to the microphone, clearing his throat once, which commanded instant silence.

"So how you doing tonight?" He asked, holding the microphone out to amplify the crowd's response. "Yeah, thought so," he commented derisively.

"A funny thing happened on the way to the forum," he continued, scanning the crowd subtly, his eyes stopping when they fell on Sho. He grinned and went on.

"There I was, walking to work like the fine upstanding citizen that you all know I am – Shut up with the laughing, I'm regaling you with an anecdote here! - When what to my wondering eyes should appear than a punkass kid in a Rancid t-shirt with a disproportionately hot sister!" The crowd exploded into catcalls and vulgar remarks, but Oh held up one hand and silence was instantly restored.

Sho clenched his fist and looked over his shoulder at Kyoko, who looked half asleep at the bar. He stepped forward to block her from the bassist's view and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Penwound's smile widened even further. "I kindly invited the lady to see one of my shows again after she turns eighteen – Come now, watch your language, kids! - and do you know what her skinny little brother said to me? He answered my courteous invitation with – what was the turn of phrase? Oh, yes. He told me that his sister would be too busy at his arena concerts to attend my SHITTY live houses in the future. Now that wasn't very gentlemanly of him now was it?"

The crowd exploded into boos and Sho stepped backwards until he actually bumped into Kyoko's leg. She looked up and apologized for getting in his way. Sho closed his eyes in frustration, missing the next few lines of baiting from the stage.

An expectant hush fell over the crowd and Ryota nudged Sho, who looked around in confusion. Up on stage, Oh Penwound stood with his microphone held out, pointed in Sho's direction. He briefly brought it back to his face to taunt Sho further.

"What? Not so big now? I said, if you think you have the balls to do better than me then Let's Go, little punker!"

Sho looked around to Kyoko who was blinking hard to stay awake. She met his eyes and gave him a bright but sleepy smile. Suddenly, Sho remembered who he was. He was Fuwa Sho, future rockstar. And this band sucked. He could easily do better. He took a gulp of Kyoko's Pepsi, handed it back to her and strode towards the stage, confidently.

"Hope you don't embarrass yourself, kid," Oh commented, before slamming down the opening bar of "Let's Go" by Rancid. without warning. Sho jumped, recognizing the notes and realizing how quickly the vocals had to follow.

He squeezed his eyes shut, gripped the microphone and dove right into the opening lyrics:

Jimmy said he could handle this  
Awwwwww. He's from Los Angeles!

The music picked up and Sho fell into the energy of the song, forgetting the audience, basking in the thrill of pushing himself vocally over the highs and lows and foreign pronunciations that made up the song. It seemed like five seconds later that the instruments died off behind his final, full throated "yeah!" and the audience was going crazy. Sho jumped as the bassist thumped a hand on his back (he really might end up with a hole in his jacket by the end of the night). Oh took the microphone back with the first genuine smile Sho had seen on his face all evening.

"Well, looks like we got Billy Idol's bastard Japanese kid here tonight. You're lucky you knew the words, son, or I'd have kicked your poser ass off the stage."

Sho shook off the musician's hand and glared at him before hopping off the platform and making his way back to the bar, his head spinning with endorphins from the applause.

He could hear Penwound continuing to jibe at him, ending with an invitation to drink to Rancid with him after the show, since he was "decent."

It was a night Sho would never forget and Kyoko would never remember. She was fast asleep at the bar before the next song began.

Author's note: Okay, the endless chapter is finally finished. On to bigger and better things. Don't worry, Sho isn't instantly famous now, this is the very beginning of the beginning of a long road for him. And it will have serious repercussions as far as his interactions with Kyoko as well.

The song, of course, is "Let's Go" by Rancid, but I didn't transcribe the whole thing because it wasn't necessary and it would be copyright infringement. It's easy to find on Youtube if you want to look for it.

Thanks for past and future reviews!


	14. The Universe Is Shaped Part 1 of 2

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Fourteen: The Universe is Shaped Exactly Like the Earth (Part 1/2)

Technically, Kyoko had first slept with Fuwa Shotaro the day she met him.

It had been raining for over a week when she woke up one morning to the sound of a drawer slamming. Mogami Saena was on her knees in front of Kyoko's little white dresser, selecting matching outfits from the appropriate drawers with her usual efficiency, never having to open the same one twice.

Kyoko slid out of her bed as quietly as she could and knelt down next to her mother.

"Get the pink suitcase, Kyoko," Saena said without turning her head. Kyoko scrambled to obey, unzipping the luggage and neatly packing it with the dresses, skirts and blouses her mother had folded and placed into a neat pile.

Saena stood up, straightened her skirt and left the room, returning with a zip locked bag containing her daughter's toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste, which she place on top of the clothing. She zipped the bag shut and stood it on its end.

"There are rice cakes on the table, eat them quickly so we don't miss the train," she instructed before again disappearing, this time into her own room.

Kyoko climbed up onto the tall western chair at the dining room table, and opened the plastic wrapped rice cake, taking a quick bite in hopes that if her mouth were full it would be easier to bite back her questions. Her mother didn't like questions and she knew that good girls didn't ask them, but still she couldn't help but wonder where they were going so suddenly. They'd gone on trips before, to places she didn't know the name of. It was always interesting to see the bus and train stations, but the hotels were always the same, no matter where they went. Two beds, a television and a little refrigerator she wasn't allowed to touch. Her mother would leave for most of the day and Kyoko would watch television. When Saena came back they would eat dinner and go to bed.

Kyoko didn't really like trips. She would rather stay home and play with her dolls. She liked to pretend that they were other children. She would talk to them, asking all of the questions she stored up during the day.

The door to her mother's room opened again, so Kyoko shoved the rest of the rice cake into her mouth, almost choking in her haste. By the time her mother entered the room, Kyoko had already wiped the table and thrown the wrapper away.

Saena surveyed the room, gave the briefest nod and walked back out. Kyoko hurried after her, pausing only to stand on tiptoe and turn off the dining room light before she left the room.

They took the subway to the train station as usual, but when they got to the platform Kyoko was fascinated to see the oddly shaped train that was waiting there. It wasn't boxy and it was hard to tell at a glance that it was even divided into cars like a normal train; this one seemed like a giant eel, with a rounded nose and streamlined body. Kyoko bit her lower lip to keep from thanking "Mr. Eel" for giving them a ride.

Her mother led her all the way down the platform to the furthest doors. The inside seemed ordinary enough, rows of upholstered seats with white cloth draped over the backs so passengers didn't have to rest their heads directly where strangers had before them. The windows were a bit smaller and more rounded than Kyoko had seen before.

"Why do they call it a bullet train, Papa?" she heard a little boy ask as she followed her mother down the aisle.

"Because it's fast as a bullet – the fastest train in the world." a man explained, patiently. Kyoko stopped to see what else she could learn but her mother called for her to hurry up so she had to keep moving.

The plain blue and white bus was very anticlimactic after the high speed train ride and Kyoko had a hard time staying awake during the last leg of their journey, despite the fantasy of peachy azalea and vibrant iris plants that painted the landscape they drove past. Only her mother's watchful gaze kept Kyoko's eyes open, and she stifled more than one yawn behind her tiny hand before they finally pulled up at the last stop on the bus line.

It was only when they got down onto the somewhat dusty road that the beauty of her surroundings finally struck her. It was like a page from a storybook. Flowers were everywhere, soaking the air with their perfume, making Kyoko feel for the first time like she had finally found the magical world where all of the princesses she admired lived.

"Kyoko, what are you doing?" Saena asked, sternly. Kyoko jumped, realizing her mother had already walked several paces up the road. She hoisted her pink bag and hurried to catch up, still stealing glances at the flower patches to see if she could spot a fairy hiding amongst the blossoms.

At the end of their winding path Kyoko stopped again and sucked in her breath. They had stopped before a massive gateway, delicately carved with patterns that seemed somehow lighter than the air but older than the wood they were carved from.

"A palace," she breathed. Saena rolled her eyes.

"It's not a palace, it's a ryoken," she corrected, frowning and leaning over to straighten the collar of Kyoko's dress. "The owners are old friends of mine, so be on your best behavior."

Kyoko nodded, her eyes darting to follow a bright blue bird that flew over the walls of the giant entrance and disappeared into the trees.

Saena pushed open one of the large doors and motioned impatiently for Kyoko to follow her up the stone-lined path to a building that seemed to have grown from the land around it. It was big enough to warrant the size of the entrance way, but somehow all of the wood and rock and the artful way that the stone steps seemed to be carved into the ground made it seem like a natural part of the environment. This was the most beautiful place Kyoko had ever been and she had already forgotten that just a little while earlier she'd been about to fall asleep from exhaustion.

Author's Note:

First, in anticipation of any questions on how realistic it would be for Saena to leave Kyoko in hotel rooms alone while she's on business trips:

Sadly, child neglect has been and remains a major problem in Japan and many other countries. Within the last decade they had to rewrite laws to clarify at what age you could leave children alone – largely because single mothers were leaving their babies in rent-a-lockers at train stations and a few children died. So I was actually pretty tame here – better mothers do worse things to their children in real life every day out of desperation.

I apologize for they delayed update. I love this story and no week goes by that I don't have an idea for it and jot it down in the ever-expanding Note File. I also really love all of you readers. I might have given up on this story if it hadn't been for the many of you who take the time to favorite, follow and (especially) those of you who write out detailed reviews. Your opinions and encouragement matter to me very much.

Thank you everyone for reading!


	15. The Universe Is Shaped Part 2

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Fifteen: The Universe is Shaped Exactly Like the Earth (Part 2/3)

The inside of the building was every bit as elegant as the outside had promised, the wooden floors gleamed like mirrors and all around were delicate paper doors held together with subtle wood carvings of cranes and trees. But Kyoko thought nothing could be more beautiful than the woman who met them at the entrance. She wore a pale blue yukata embroidered with graceful pink and white flowers, her hair folded smoothly on top of her head. Her posture was so perfect and her skin so flawless that she looked like a porcelain doll.

"Saena, it's been so long," the woman said with a serene smile. "Welcome to the Fuwa Ryoken."

Kyoko's mother smiled sarcastically. "Sadako, I hardly recognized you. Kyoko, why are you just standing there? Take your shoes off!" She scolded, not taking her eyes from the woman. Sadako did not seem disturbed by the rude greeting; her smile didn't waver as she leaned down to Kyoko. The motion was so elegant it was almost like a bow.

"There are slippers here, Kyoko-chan," she said kindly, gesturing to a tiny pair on the landing above the entry way. "You can use these." She stood up and looked back at Saena. "She's lovely," she said. "Those eyes..."

Saena looked away with a noncommittal snort. Sadako's eyes widened ever so slightly, but the rest of her face didn't change. "Please, this way," she said once Kyoko had finished changing shoes. She led them down a long, wide hallway and slid open a pair of paper doors at the very end.

The room made Kyoko squeak with pleasure. Three walls were almost entirely made of windows, and it was obvious why. The room had been built over the edge of a large pond, supported by wooden beams, and the view of the water and gardens was breathtaking. Straight-trunked trees were evenly spaced along the water's edge, but as organized as they were on the ground, Kyoko could see the branches growing wilder and wilder the higher up she looked, until they tangled together like dark lighting bolts against the blue sky.

She was so enraptured that she didn't notice when the beautiful lady gently slid the doors closed behind them.

"Saena, it's been so long!" Sadako said again, as soon as she was sure they were out of her staff's line of sight – or rather this time she exclaimed it. "I'm so happy you came!" Kyoko jumped at the sound of the voice, shocked to see that their perfect hostess was hugging her mother enthusiastically. Hugging _her_ mother.

She was even more shocked to see that her mother tolerated the embrace, allowing her friend to cling on to her for a moment before stepping back and straightening her skirt. "Yes, well, I didn't really have a lot of options." Sadako's smile dimmed and she nodded in understanding. "You must be so sad to have to part with –" she began, but Saena cut her off with a glance at Kyoko.

"Didn't you say you have a child?"

Sadako beamed. "Yes. Shotaro - my little angel. You won't believe how beautiful he is, Saena. He really does look like a miracle just dropped down from the heavens. He'll be so happy to have someone his age to play with. We can't let him spend too much time with the guests' children because it would be too hard on him when they have to leave. I was beginning to think he would be lost when he starts kindergarten, but we won't have to worry about that now. He and Kyoko will have plenty of time to play."

Kyoko smiled shyly, at once intimidated and unbearably curious. She'd longed for a friend her age for as long as she could remember, but she'd always imagined that her first friend would be a girl. And she'd never heard anyone described as a "miracle from heaven." She wasn't too sure such a perfect person would want to play with her.

"Here now, he should be right down the path by the rock garden," Sadako said, leading Kyoko to the edge of the window to the left, the bottom of which, she discovered, was the top step of a broad wooden stairway leading down over the water and onto the ground. "Just walk straight down the path and you can't miss him."

Kyoko paused only for a moment to look nervously at the water below, but she heard her mother clear her throat and obediently took the first step onto the stairway, swallowing the slight fear of heights she hadn't realized she possessed. After the first step it was easier, because it was clear the stairs were very sound, so she quickly made her way to the shore and started down the stone path, her heart bubbling with so many emotions she thought she felt like she was floating through a dream.

Everything seemed animated and full of life, green was all around, from the trees and hedges to the thick moss that half covered the stones beneath her feet. Every rustle of leaves had Kyoko stopping to peer through the foliage, hoping to catch sight of a fairy.

She was so absorbed in the her surroundings, that the sound of a human voice made her jump. She was at a bend in the path and a giant hedge formed a corner. Suddenly shy, she stole softly to the very edge of the bush and held her breath as she looked around. A boy was standing at the edge of a gravel ocean. The rock garden was massive, wave after wave of intricate designs painstakingly raked into the gravel around small islands of larger stone.

The boy was around her size and she could only see his back, as he was absorbed in his task – trying to get the pebbles he threw to land on the largest rock in the center of the garden. She watched as he pulled back his arm, took a step backwards and swung his arm folder, stumbling forward a step as he released. He cursed loudly when the pebble fell short of it's target, and immediately fell down to his hands and knees to look for more ammunition.

Finally, after a lifetime of waiting, she was faced with a child her own age – a friend! - and she overwhelmed. The air seemed stuck in her lungs and she had no idea what to do. How was she supposed to start? She thought back to the thousands of scenarios she'd acted out with her dolls, trying to remember anything that would give her a hint on what to do next.

The boy – Shotaro – seemed to be having difficulty finding more pebbles, because he was muttering to himself under his breath. Years of training to always make herself useful kicked in and Kyoko automatically dropped to her hands and knees, her full pink skirt pooling around her on the ground. She combed the edge of the path, quickly spying a cluster of loose gravel.

"I found some!" She exclaimed, causing the boy to stiffen and jump to his feet. His cheeks were the color of her dress as he realized that someone had been watching him.

For a moment they just stood there, Shotaro looking down at this strange flower of a girl who had appeared out of nowhere on his private path, wondering how long she'd been there. Kyoko beamed up at him, her eyes shining with pleasure at having been useful. She held her tiny hand up towards him, presenting the pebbles as if they were pearls.

"I found more pebbles!" she repeated, excited.

"Who're you?" Sho demanded, standing up straight and trying to calm his nerves by taking control of the situation.

"I'm Kyoko," she said, suddenly nervous again. "The lady said that I should come play with Shotaro-chan. Are you Shotaro-chan?"

He scowled at the name, jutting his chin in the air. "I'm Sho-chan," he said defensively, as if expecting to have to defend the assertion.

Author's Note:

Thanks for bearing with me on this interlude. It may seem random, but I felt this bit of background had to be explained in order for some other things to make sense. There's just a little more to this flashback and then we're back to the (kind of?) present. I've had a long crappy week, though, and wanted to post what I have in case it generates some feedback - I can use a boost!

Thanks for reading!


	16. The Universe is Shaped (33)

Sho Business

Synopsis: What if Sho had had to make an honest woman of Kyoko in order to get her to agree to come to Tokyo with him?

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! and its characters are the sole property of the legal copyright holders. This story borrows the characters and is not for profit or professional gain. To support the original artist and enhance enjoyment of this story, it is recommended that readers purchase copies of the manga at their nearest bookstore if at all possible.

Notes: Obviously, from the description, I am taking some liberties with the circumstances surrounding Kyoko and Sho's move to Tokyo. That aside, I intend to make every effort to mold the story to fit manga events as much as possible, though some modification will be necessary.

Special thanks to past and future reviewers!

Chapter Sixteen: The Universe is Shaped Exactly Like the Earth (Part 3/3)

"Sho-chan," Kyoko repeated, smiling shyly. "You can have these." Once again, she held out the small handful of stones.

Sho shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets. "Why would I want some dumb rocks?"

Kyoko scrambled to her feet, then walked to the edge of the garden. "So you can hit the target!" She exclaimed, pointing at the giant rock Sho had been trying to hit. "You were so close last time, it's amazing how far you can throw!"

"Amazing?" Sho asked, looking at her through narrow eyes, trying to judge whether she was making fun of him.

"Yes! I couldn't throw a rock half that far; you must be really strong!"

Sho looked into her eyes, which shone with such sincerity that he couldn't help believing her. A warm feeling spread through him. He scratched awkwardly at his neck, undoing the top button of the collared shirt his mother had made him wear.

"Of course you can't throw that far; you're a girl," he said, quickly grabbing the rocks from her hand. He marched back to his previous position and geared up to make another throw. As he extended his arm back, he glanced over his shoulder to see Kyoko a few feet away with her hands clasped in anticipation. Swallowing, he put his arm back and leaned forward to judge the distance one more time. Just as he released the throw, he jumped at the sound of Kyoko yelling "You can do it, Sho-chan!"

He turned to scowl at her for making him jump but before he could say anything, Kyoko let out a squeal and ran forward to tug on his shirt sleeve, jumping up and down.

"You did it!" she exclaimed. Sho spun around to look at the giant rock in the center of the garden. Just visible on the flat part at the very edge was a tiny blue pebble.

Sho had been trying to land a pebble on that stone for weeks, and this was the first time he succeeded. In his excitement, he grabbed Kyoko and spun her around in a circle. She wasn't heavy, but he wasn't really strong enough to carry her so a second later they both collapsed onto the ground. For a moment he just looked at Kyoko and she looked at him. Then she burst into giggles. Sho blushed crimson but couldn't help laughing, too. They were still in hysterics when his mother found them a few minutes later.

"Shoutaro!" she exclaimed as she rushed forward to pick him up from the ground. "What happened? Are you alright?"

Sho pulled away from her mothering and glanced at Kyoko. There was no trace of a smile on her face anymore as she quickly got to her feet by herself. She started to smooth out her skirt and was looking anxiously down the path his mother had come from.

Satisfied that her son wasn't hurt, Sadako turned to the little girl. "Kyoko-chan, are you okay?"

Kyoko turned quickly and bowed to her. "I'm fine. I'm sorry I made Sho-chan fall down," she said, bowing her head.

"Well, neither of you are hurt, so there's no harm done," Sadako said, kindly. "It's time for supper. Let's go inside." She steered her son down the path and reached out a hand to Kyoko, which the girl took tentatively.

When they reached the reception room, Sadako looked around in confusion. She strode to the doorway and called for one of the maids.

"Which room did you show my guest to?" she asked quietly, back to her okami propriety.

"Mogami-san had to leave," the girl replied nervously. "She said to give you this." She held out an envelope.

"I see," Sadako said, without blinking an eye. "Prepare dinner for myself and the children. We will eat here in ten minutes." She slid the door closed after the maid left and for a second her shock showed on her face. It was replaced with a placid smile by the time she turned back to the children.

"The food will be coming soon. Why don't you wash your hands?" Shotaro led Kyoko to a small washroom and Sadako sunk down onto one of the cushions at the empty table. Her hands weren't quite steady as she opened the note.

"Sadako -

I can't wait because I must make the six o'clock train or I will miss my flight. Tell Kyoko I said she is to behave herself in my absence. I will be back from Madrid in six weeks.

-Saena"

"She didn't even say goodbye to her her daughter," Sadako whispered, shocked. She knew that her friend had been hardened by what she'd been through. But she couldn't imagine what could make a mother separate from her child without even saying goodbye.

She didn't have much time to ponder it, because Sho and Kyoko returned almost immediately and took seats at the table.

Sho was twiddling with his chopsticks and craning his head at the doorway, obviously waiting for dinner to come. Kyoko sat still, staring at her own tiny hands, which were neatly folded in her lap.

"Kyoko," Sadako began, then cleared her throat and started again in a more cheerful voice. "Kyoko-chan, your mommy had to leave to so that she could make her flight. She left a note that says she is very sorry she could not say goodbye."

Kyoko's head shot up, her eyes wide and frightened. "What- but – how will I get to the train station?" she asked in a small voice.

Sadako couldn't help letting out a small gasp. Surely Saena had explained to Kyoko that she would be staying with the Fuwas?

Regaining her cheerful smile with effort, she explained. "Your mother will come in a few weeks to fetch you and she'll take you to the train station then."

Kyoko's lower lip quivered and her big eyes were wet with tears. "Yes, ma'am." She said obediently, her voice shaking. She was looking around her at the room as if it had suddenly become much larger and scarier.

Sho shifted nervously in his seat and looked at his mother.

"Kyoko is going to be staying with us for a while, Sho-chan," Sadako explained. "Her mother has to go to Spain for work and Kyoko has to start school when you do in a few weeks. She can't do that in another country where she doesn't speak the language, so she'll go to school with you and stay with us here. Isn't that nice, to have a friend even before school starts?"

Sho nodded, accepting the explanation without question. His mother had given him everything else he ever wanted. Of course she got him a friend, too. It made perfect sense. Still, he didn't like the way Kyoko was sniffling and looking sad. He liked it better when they were laughing on the path. She was his friend, so she belonged to him and he felt like he should do something to make things better again; he just wasn't sure what he could do.

No one ate much when dinner came and Sadako decided it would be best to call it an early night, because Kyoko didn't seem very interested in playing. She showed the little girl to her room, explaining where the bathroom was and where she could find the Fuwas if she needed anything. Kyoko nodded silently, barely glancing at the room. Her arms were crossed tightly and her hands gripped her elbows until her knuckles turned white.

Sadako shepherded her son from the room, closing the door softly. "Poor thing," she sighed, before turning to Sho.

"Kyoko is sad because she won't see her mother for a long time, so we need to leave her alone for a little while to give her time to adjust to her new surroundings, okay?"

Sho nodded uneasily. "But why did her mother go away?" he couldn't help asking. A sudden thought occurred to him and he paled. "Are you and Dad going to go away too someday?"

Sadako crushed him into a tight embrace. "Dad and I will never EVER leave you alone, baby," she insisted. "Never."

Sho pulled free with a scowl. "I'm not a baby."

Sadako touched his head gently. "You're my baby," she said.

Sho made another face and his mother reluctantly let him go. "I have to review the books at the front desk. Let Kyoko rest for a while. And Shoutaro –" she trailed off.

"What?" he asked, smoothing down his hair where it had been ruffled by her touch.

"If you need me, you know where I am," she finished after a pause before hurrying away.

Sho watched to make sure she was gone before he turned back to Kyoko's room. As quietly as possible, he slid the paper door open a crack and looked in. Kyoko was still in the same spot, but instead of standing, she was sitting on the floor, with her arms folded over her knees and her head buried between them. Her shoulders shook a little bit and after a minute he realized that she was crying. He hadn't seen too many people cry except on television so he wasn't sure how to react. He pushed the door open a few more inches and the sound caused Kyoko to look up.

Sho froze in place. He had never seen such a sad look in his entire life. Just as she her happiness earlier that day had infected him, now he felt like her sadness had torn a small hole in his heart to match the large one within her. As she looked at him her sniffles became sobs and he couldn't bring himself to move a muscle as she cried herself to sleep. After her eyes finally closed and she became quiet, Sho turned to leave. A few steps from the door, he turned around and went back. He walked silently into her room and slid the door closed behind him. Not brave enough to approach her directly, he sat down by the wall across from her and watched her until his own eyes closed.

When Kyoko woke up the next morning, the first thing she saw was Sho's sleeping face as he slumped against the wall of her room. In this new, strange abandonment, the first time she'd ever been anywhere without her mother, she took comfort in the sight of him. She had always dreamed of having a friend, because then she would never be alone. As the sunlight stretched over the face of the young boy who was her first friend, he seemed to shine like a dream come to life. Her dream, her friend. And she knew she wasn't alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

More than ten years later, when Kyoko awoke with a splitting headache in a tiny apartment in the largest and most dangerous city in Japan, she remembered that first morning.

For when her hungover eyes adjusted to the early morning sunshine that poured through the windows, the first thing she saw was her dear friend, bathed in light, slumped against a wall fully-clothed with a wet cloth in his hand and a bowl of water next to him. She touched her moist forehead and smiled, knowing that she could handle anything this city had to throw at her. Because from now on Sho would always be there when she woke up.

Author's Note:

This was so sad to write- particularly the last paragraph!

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Also, there is now a forum for Skip Beat fanfic writers (Google beatskippersbackagain and you'll find it)! The moderators are really nice so I definitely recommend checking it out!


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